Pre-Algebra Examples

\frac{1}{4} + \frac{- 1}{2}

$\frac{1}{4} + \frac{- 1}{2}$

Step 1

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

\frac{1}{4} - \frac{1}{2}

$\frac{1}{4} - \frac{1}{2}$

Step 2

To write

- \frac{1}{2}

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

\frac{2}{2}

$\frac{2}{2}$ .

\frac{1}{4} - \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{2}{2}

$\frac{1}{4} - \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{2}{2}$

Step 3

Write each expression with a common denominator of

4

$4$ , by multiplying each by an appropriate factor of

1

$1$ .

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Step 3.1

Multiply

\frac{1}{2}

$\frac{1}{2}$ by

\frac{2}{2}

$\frac{2}{2}$ .

\frac{1}{4} - \frac{2}{2 \cdot 2}

$\frac{1}{4} - \frac{2}{2 \cdot 2}$

Step 3.2

Multiply

2

$2$ by

2

$2$ .

\frac{1}{4} - \frac{2}{4}

$\frac{1}{4} - \frac{2}{4}$

\frac{1}{4} - \frac{2}{4}

$\frac{1}{4} - \frac{2}{4}$

Step 4

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

\frac{1 - 2}{4}

$\frac{1 - 2}{4}$

Step 5

Subtract

2

$2$ from

1

$1$ .

\frac{- 1}{4}

$\frac{- 1}{4}$

Step 6

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

- \frac{1}{4}

$- \frac{1}{4}$

Step 7

The result can be shown in multiple forms.

Exact Form:

- \frac{1}{4}

$- \frac{1}{4}$

Decimal Form:

- 0.25

$- 0.25$