Step by step
The question
Question: simplify this fraction.
On top: 3/4 − 1/2.
At the bottom: 1/8.
A fraction with fractions inside is called a complex fraction.
1 Find the common bottom
The small fractions have bottoms 4, 2 and 8.
The smallest thing they all go into is 8.
8 is in the 4 and 2 times tables.
2 Times 8 on top and bottom
8/8 is 1.
Times 1 does not change the value.
We multiply the top and the bottom by 8.
Then the small fractions go away.
3 Multiply every part
Every part times 8.
8 times 3/4: the bottom 4 goes into 8, so we get 6.
8 times 1/2: the bottom 2 goes into 8, so we get 4.
So we get 6 − 4.
The bottom is just 1, so we leave it out.
No more small fractions!
6 − 4 is 2.
So the answer is 2.
4 Check
Let's check the long way: work out the top and the bottom first.
The top is 1/4, the bottom is 1/8.
Then top divided by bottom: times the flip.
We get 2 again.
It works!
Let's look back.
First: find the common bottom.
Then: times 8 on top and bottom.
Then: multiply every part.
Last: check.