Evaluate. Write your answer as a fraction in simplest form. 1/2 + 5/8 - (-7/16)

Sure, let's solve this step by step:

1. First, we need to add 1/2 and 5/8. To do this, we need to find a common denominator. The least common denominator for 2 and 8 is 8. So, we convert 1/2 to 4/8. Now, we can add 4/8 and 5/8 to get 9/8.

2. Next, we need to subtract -7/16 from 9/8. Subtracting a negative is the same as adding a positive, so we're actually adding 7/16 to 9/8. Again, we need a common denominator. The least common denominator for 8 and 16 is 16. So, we convert 9/8 to 18/16. Now, we can add 18/16 and 7/16 to get 25/16.

3. The fraction 25/16 is already in its simplest form, so that's our final answer.

So, 1/2 + 5/8 - (-7/16) = 25/16.