Question

what 2/3 - 5/8 equal

Answer 1

To subtract fractions, you first need to make sure the denominators are the same.  To do this, you need to find the least common multiple (LCM) of the denominators.  The LCM is the smallest number that both numbers can be multiplied to.  In this question, the LCM is 24 because 3x8=24 and 8x3=24.  Using this information, multiply the numerator and the denominator of each fraction by the number that will make the denominator equal to 24.

$\frac{2}{3} *\frac{8}{8}= \frac{16}{24}$

$\frac{5}{8} *\frac{3}{3} =\frac{15}{24}$

Now, subtract the numerators.

$16-15=1$

The denominator stays the same.

The answer is 1/24.

Hope this helps!!