Question

Subtract five and one-fourth minus three and three-eighths. Justify your steps
Please help

Answer 1

\[5\frac{ 1 }{ 4 } - 3\frac{ 3 }{ 8 } = ?\]

We need to make the denominator of 1/4 become 8. We do this by multiplying by 2:

2/2 • 1/4 = 2/8

Now we have:

\[5\frac{ 2 }{ 8 } - 3\frac{ 3 }{ 8 } = ?\]

Now subtract:

5 - 3 = 2

2 - 3 = -1

The answer would be:

\[2\frac{ -1 }{ 8 }\]

Which simplifies to -0.25 or 1/4