Subtract 8 - 4 1/2.

Understand the Problem

The question is asking us to perform a subtraction operation where we need to subtract 4 and a half (4 1/2) from 8. We will convert the mixed number into an improper fraction first to make the calculation easier.

Answer

$3 \frac{1}{2}$
Answer for screen readers

The final answer is $3 \frac{1}{2}$.

Steps to Solve

  1. Convert the mixed number to an improper fraction

A mixed number like $4 \frac{1}{2}$ can be converted to an improper fraction.

To do this:

$$ 4 \frac{1}{2} = \frac{(4 \times 2) + 1}{2} = \frac{8 + 1}{2} = \frac{9}{2} $$

  1. Set up the subtraction problem

Now we can rewrite the problem as:

$$ 8 - 4 \frac{1}{2} \text{ will be } 8 - \frac{9}{2} $$

To perform the subtraction, we need to express 8 as a fraction with the same denominator:

$$ 8 = \frac{8 \times 2}{2} = \frac{16}{2} $$

  1. Perform the subtraction

Now, we can subtract the fractions:

$$ \frac{16}{2} - \frac{9}{2} = \frac{16 - 9}{2} = \frac{7}{2} $$

  1. Convert back to a mixed number (if needed)

To express $\frac{7}{2}$ as a mixed number, divide 7 by 2:

$$ 7 \div 2 = 3 \text{ R } 1 \Rightarrow 3 \frac{1}{2} $$

The final answer is $3 \frac{1}{2}$.

More Information

This answer represents the result of subtracting $4 \frac{1}{2}$ from 8, and showing the process of conversion and calculation helps clarify how to handle mixed numbers and improper fractions.

Tips

  • Forgetting to convert the mixed number to an improper fraction before performing the subtraction can lead to errors.
  • Not converting both numbers to the same denominator, which is necessary for proper subtraction of fractions.

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