To add or subtract fractions, you must find the common denominator. To do this, you must find a factor that is common between the two denominators, in this case its 3 because 4x3=12. So multiple 1/4 by 3 and you should get 3/12. Then simply add and subtract the numerators, so +- is essentially just subtraction so to simplify the equation, it would be 3/12-3/12-5/12. So 3/12-3/12= 0, 0-5/12= -5/12. So the answer is -5/12.
Hope this helps!
