Question

perform the indicated operations. if possible, reduce the answer to its lowest terms.
\frac{1}{8} - \frac{5}{8}
\frac{1}{8} - \frac{5}{8} = \square
(simplify your answer. type an integer, fraction, or mixed number.)

Explanation:

Step1: Subtract numerators (same denominator)

Since the denominators are the same ($8$), we subtract the numerators: $1 - 5 = -4$. So the fraction becomes $\frac{-4}{8}$.

Step2: Simplify the fraction

We can simplify $\frac{-4}{8}$ by dividing both the numerator and the denominator by their greatest common divisor, which is $4$. So $\frac{-4\div4}{8\div4} = \frac{-1}{2}$.

Answer:

$-\frac{1}{2}$