Solve: 3/2 - 3/8 - 1/4 | Fraction Subtraction Problem

Question

Solve the following exercise:

323814=? \frac{3}{2}-\frac{3}{8}-\frac{1}{4}=\text{?}

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:00 Solve
00:03 We want to find the smallest common denominator
00:06 Therefore, we'll multiply 4 and 2 respectively to find the common denominator
00:09 Remember to multiply both numerator and denominator
00:22 Let's calculate the multiplications
00:32 Subtract under the common denominator
00:39 Let's calculate the numerator
00:45 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve the problem 323814 \frac{3}{2} - \frac{3}{8} - \frac{1}{4} , follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Find the Least Common Denominator (LCD): The denominators are 2, 8, and 4. The smallest number that all these can divide into is 8. So, the LCD is 8.
  • Step 2: Convert each fraction to have a denominator of 8:
    • 32\frac{3}{2} becomes 128\frac{12}{8} because 32×44=128\frac{3}{2} \times \frac{4}{4} = \frac{12}{8}.
    • 38\frac{3}{8} is already with a denominator of 8.
    • 14\frac{1}{4} becomes 28\frac{2}{8} because 14×22=28\frac{1}{4} \times \frac{2}{2} = \frac{2}{8}.
  • Step 3: Perform the Subtraction:
    • First subtract the fractions: 12838=98\frac{12}{8} - \frac{3}{8} = \frac{9}{8}.
    • Then, subtract 28\frac{2}{8} from the result: 9828=78\frac{9}{8} - \frac{2}{8} = \frac{7}{8}.
  • Step 4: Simplify the Result: The fraction 78\frac{7}{8} is already in its simplest form.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is 78\frac{7}{8}.

Answer

78 \frac{7}{8}