Subtract.
$\frac{-5}{8}-\frac{-1}{2}=$
Answer (1)
Rewrite the subtraction as addition: 8 − 5 − 2 − 1 = 8 − 5 + 2 1 .
Find the least common denominator: The least common denominator for 8 and 2 is 8.
Rewrite the fractions with the common denominator: 2 1 = 8 4 .
Add the fractions: 8 − 5 + 8 4 = 8 − 1 . The final answer is − 8 1 .
Explanation
Understanding the problem We are asked to subtract two fractions: 8 − 5 and 2 − 1 . The expression is 8 − 5 − 2 − 1 .
Rewriting the expression To subtract the fractions, we first rewrite the expression as 8 − 5 − 2 − 1 = 8 − 5 + 2 1 .
Finding a common denominator Next, we need to find a common denominator for the two fractions. The least common denominator for 8 and 2 is 8. We rewrite 2 1 with a denominator of 8: 2 1 = 2 × 4 1 × 4 = 8 4 .
Substituting back Now we substitute this back into the expression: 8 − 5 + 8 4 .
Adding the fractions Adding the two fractions, we get 8 − 5 + 4 = 8 − 1 .
Final answer Therefore, the final answer is − 8 1 .
Examples
Understanding fractions is crucial in everyday situations, such as when you're baking and need to measure ingredients. For instance, if a recipe calls for 8 5 cup of flour and you only want to make half the recipe, you need to subtract half of the flour, which is 2 1 of 8 5 . This problem demonstrates how to perform that subtraction, ensuring you get the right amount of ingredients for your recipe. Mastering fraction subtraction helps in many similar real-life scenarios involving proportions and measurements.
