Simplifying the Fraction: 1/2 - 1/5 + 1/4
To simplify the fraction 1/2 - 1/5 + 1/4, we need to follow the order of operations (PEMDAS) and perform the operations from left to right.
Step 1: Subtract 1/5 from 1/2
To subtract 1/5 from 1/2, we need to find a common denominator between the two fractions. The least common multiple (LCM) of 2 and 5 is 10. So, we can convert both fractions to have a denominator of 10:
1/2 = 5/10 1/5 = 2/10
Now, we can subtract:
5/10 - 2/10 = 3/10
Step 2: Add 1/4 to 3/10
To add 1/4 to 3/10, we need to find a common denominator between the two fractions. The least common multiple (LCM) of 10 and 4 is 20. So, we can convert both fractions to have a denominator of 20:
3/10 = 6/20 1/4 = 5/20
Now, we can add:
6/20 + 5/20 = 11/20
Therefore, the simplified fraction is:
11/20
So, the final answer is 11/20.
