Subtracting fractions with like denominators

First, make that whole number an improper fraction:

1 3/8 = 11/8

Then, do the subtraction from your numerator and add on the denominator:

(11 - (-7))/8 = (18)/8 = 18/8

Your answer is 18/8, unless you want to simplify to a whole number. That would be 2 1/4.

Done!

(p.s. thanks electricpavlov for pointing my mistake!)

Ooops.......

1 3/8 = 11/8   

11/8 -(-7/8) =

11/8 + 7/8 = 18/8 = 2 2/8 = 2 1/4