Final answer:
To find the difference between 5/8 and 1/2, we converted 1/2 to 4/8, so we could subtract it from 5/8, resulting in 1/8. Therefore, the answer is B. 1/8.
Step-by-step explanation:
Solving for the difference between two fractions involves finding a common denominator and then subtracting the numerators. For the given problem, 5/8 - 1/2, we first need a common denominator. The number 8 is already a multiple of the number 2, so we can use 8 as the common denominator. To convert 1/2 to a fraction with an 8 as the denominator, we multiply the numerator and the denominator by 4, giving us 4/8.
Now, our equation looks like this: 5/8 - 4/8. When we subtract the numerators, we get 1, and the denominator remains the same, so we have 1/8 as a result.
So, the correct answer to 5/8 - 1/2 is B. 1/8. Understanding fractions and how to manipulate them is crucial in mathematics. It's also useful to intuitively understand fractions, just as we understand that a quarter is 1/4 of a dollar or that half a pie represents 1/2 of the whole.