2 5/8-1 1/4= what?

$2\frac{5}{8}-1\frac{1}{4}$

First, make them into improper fractions.

$\frac{21}{8}-\frac{5}{4}$

The least common denominator is 32.

$4(\frac{21}{8})-8(\frac{5}{4})$

$\frac{84}{8}-\frac{40}{4}$

Simplify.

$\frac{21}{2}-10$

$\frac{21}{2}=10\frac{1}{2}$

$10\frac{1}{2}-10=\frac{1}{2}$

So your answer is 1/2 or 0.5.