simplify the expression. Justify each step.

(m+4.5)-0.5

To simplify the expression (m+4.5)-0.5, we can follow these steps:

Step 1: Start by simplifying within the parentheses. Since there are no like terms to combine, we leave it as it is.

(m+4.5)-0.5

Step 2: Next, we can simplify the subtraction by removing the parentheses. To do this, distribute the negative sign to both terms inside the parentheses, changing the subtraction to addition:

m + 4.5 + (-0.5)

Step 3: Now, we can combine like terms. In this case, we have 4.5 and -0.5, both of which are numbers, so we can add them together:

m + 4.5 - 0.5 = m + 4

Therefore, the simplified expression is m + 4. We justify each step by applying the basic rules of arithmetic, which include combining like terms and distributing the negative sign.