Final answer:
To subtract a negative number, change the subtraction to addition and change the sign of the number being subtracted. 5/8 - (-7/8) becomes 5/8 + 7/8. Simplify the fraction to 3/2.
Step-by-step explanation:
To subtract a negative number, we can change the subtraction to addition and change the sign of the number being subtracted. So, 5/8 - (-7/8) becomes 5/8 + 7/8. The denominators are the same, so we can add the numerators: 5 + 7 = 12. The final answer is 12/8. To simplify this fraction, we divide both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor, which is 4. So, 12/8 simplifies to 3/2.