How do you simplify #1/4-2/3#?

1 Answer
Jun 7, 2017

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

To add or subtract fractions they must be over common denominators. We can simplify this expression by first multiplying each fraction by the appropriate form of #1# to get each fraction over a common denominator. In this case #12#

#1/4 - 2/3 => (3/3 xx 1/4) - (4/4 xx 2/3) =>#

#3/12 - 8/12#

We can now subtract the numerators over the common denominator:

#3/12 - 8/12 => (3 - 8)/12 => -5/12#