Common Pre-Algebra Mistakes
Example: Subtracting Fractions

The Goal

Simplify:

goal


The Mistake

mistake

Need a hint? Look carefully at the red part of the algebra:

mistake


The Correction

correction


An Explanation

Use care with fractions. A good strategy is to write down intermediate steps, which makes you take the time needed to compute correctly.
(It is possible that the student mistakenly multiplied the fraction by -1 instead of performing a subtraction.)

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