What number should be subtracted from `(-3)/(4)` to get `(-1)/(2)`?

Answer

To solve the problem of finding what number should be subtracted from \(-\frac{3}{4}\) to get \(-\frac{1}{2}\), we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Set up the equation
Let the number to be subtracted be \(x\). According to the problem, we can set up the equation:
\[ -\frac{3}{4} - x = -\frac{1}{2} \]

### Step 2: Isolate \(x\)
To isolate \(x\), we can rearrange the equation:
\[ -x = -\frac{1}{2} + \frac{3}{4} \]
Now, we can multiply both sides by \(-1\) to solve for \(x\):
\[ x = \frac{1}{2} - \frac{3}{4} \]

### Step 3: Find a common denominator
To perform the subtraction, we need a common denominator. The denominators are \(2\) and \(4\). The least common multiple (LCM) of \(2\) and \(4\) is \(4\). We can rewrite \(\frac{1}{2}\) as:
\[ \frac{1}{2} = \frac{2}{4} \]
Now, substitute this back into the equation:
\[ x = \frac{2}{4} - \frac{3}{4} \]

### Step 4: Perform the subtraction
Now, we can subtract the fractions:
\[ x = \frac{2 - 3}{4} = \frac{-1}{4} \]

### Step 5: Conclusion
Thus, the number that should be subtracted from \(-\frac{3}{4}\) to get \(-\frac{1}{2}\) is:
\[ x = -\frac{1}{4} \]