Basic Math Examples

\frac{1}{5} - \frac{1}{2}

$\frac{1}{5} - \frac{1}{2}$

Step 1

To write

\frac{1}{5}

$\frac{1}{5}$ as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by

\frac{2}{2}

$\frac{2}{2}$ .

\frac{1}{5} \cdot \frac{2}{2} - \frac{1}{2}

$\frac{1}{5} \cdot \frac{2}{2} - \frac{1}{2}$

Step 2

To write

- \frac{1}{2}

$- \frac{1}{2}$ as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by

\frac{5}{5}

$\frac{5}{5}$ .

\frac{1}{5} \cdot \frac{2}{2} - \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{5}{5}

$\frac{1}{5} \cdot \frac{2}{2} - \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{5}{5}$

Step 3

Write each expression with a common denominator of

10

$10$ , by multiplying each by an appropriate factor of

1

$1$ .

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Step 3.1

Multiply

\frac{1}{5}

$\frac{1}{5}$ by

\frac{2}{2}

$\frac{2}{2}$ .

\frac{2}{5 \cdot 2} - \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{5}{5}

$\frac{2}{5 \cdot 2} - \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{5}{5}$

Step 3.2

Multiply

5

$5$ by

2

$2$ .

\frac{2}{10} - \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{5}{5}

$\frac{2}{10} - \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{5}{5}$

Step 3.3

Multiply

\frac{1}{2}

$\frac{1}{2}$ by

\frac{5}{5}

$\frac{5}{5}$ .

\frac{2}{10} - \frac{5}{2 \cdot 5}

$\frac{2}{10} - \frac{5}{2 \cdot 5}$

Step 3.4

Multiply

2

$2$ by

5

$5$ .

\frac{2}{10} - \frac{5}{10}

$\frac{2}{10} - \frac{5}{10}$

\frac{2}{10} - \frac{5}{10}

$\frac{2}{10} - \frac{5}{10}$

Step 4

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

\frac{2 - 5}{10}

$\frac{2 - 5}{10}$

Step 5

Subtract

5

$5$ from

2

$2$ .

\frac{- 3}{10}

$\frac{- 3}{10}$

Step 6

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

- \frac{3}{10}

$- \frac{3}{10}$

Step 7

The result can be shown in multiple forms.

Exact Form:

- \frac{3}{10}

$- \frac{3}{10}$

Decimal Form:

- 0.3

$- 0.3$