BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
GMATLiveTeach 7 seats left
Chris Peckover
NEXT LIVE COHORT

Oct 13 to Jan 7, 2027

with Chris Peckover

Schedule
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
40 live hours + 6 months of GMAT OnDemand
  • Live instruction and real-time questions
  • Class recordings and assigned practice
View class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeach 5 seats left
Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions
Start free 5-day trial
Read 559 reviewsTarget Test Prep

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

To find the fraction

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 641
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:52 pmFollowed by: 8 members
Thanked: 11 times
by gmattesttaker2 » Fri Mar 07, 2014 11:12 pm
Hello,

Can you please tell me how to solve this:

What fraction of 3/4 + 1/2 is 3/4 - 1/2?

A) 1/5
B) 1/4
C) 1/3
D) 3/4
E) 5

OA: A

I was trying to solve as follows:

3/4 + 1/2 = 5/4

3/4 - 1/2 = 1/4

So, what fraction of 5/4 is 1/4?

But I was little confused as to how to represent this using algebra.

Thanks,
Sri
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Problem Solving |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Fri Mar 07, 2014 11:23 pm
gmattesttaker2 wrote: What fraction of 3/4 + 1/2 is 3/4 - 1/2?

A) 1/5
B) 1/4
C) 1/3
D) 3/4
E) 5
You were almost there.

It may be easier if we rephrase the question.
Notice that these two questions are EQUIVALENT.
"What fraction of X is Y?"
"Y is what fraction of X?"

So, "What fraction of 3/4 + 1/2 is 3/4 - 1/2?" is the same as "3/4 - 1/2 is what fraction of 3/4 + 1/2?"

Here, we go...
"3/4 - 1/2 is what fraction of 3/4 + 1/2?"
In other words: "1/4 is what fraction of 5/4?"
Well, 1/4 is one-fifth the size of 5/4
So, "1/4 is [spoiler]1/5[/spoiler] of 5/4"

Answer: A

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pmFollowed by: 1906 members
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Sat Mar 08, 2014 3:07 am
gmattesttaker2 wrote:Hello,

Can you please tell me how to solve this:

What fraction of 3/4 + 1/2 is 3/4 - 1/2?

A) 1/5
B) 1/4
C) 1/3
D) 3/4
E) 5

OA: A
Since the question stem asks for a FRACTION, we can safely multiply the numerator and the denominator of this fraction by the SAME FACTOR.

Simplify the expressions in the question stem by multiplying each expression by 4:
4 * (3/4 + 1/2) = 3+2 = 5.
4 * (3/4 - 1/2) = 3-2 = 1.

Question stem, rephrased:
What fraction of 5 is 1?
In other words:
1 is what fraction of 5?

The correct answer is A.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2630
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 3:32 pmFollowed by: 119 members
Location: East Bay all the way
Thanked: 625 times
GMAT Score:780

by Matt@VeritasPrep » Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:24 am
Sri, you can just set it up this way:

3/4 - 1/2
---------
3/4 + 1/2

then solve:

1/4
---
5/4

or

1/5

In general, "x is what fraction of y" or "x is what percent of y" is just x/y: the question is essentially asking for the ratio of x to y.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 137
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2015 11:01 amFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 1 times

by Amrabdelnaby » Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:28 am
your answer was perfect!

now if you disregard the denominators of 5/4 and 1/4, you will find 1 and 5!
what fraction of 5 is 1? --> 1 is one fifth of 5. so the answer is 1/5.
same applies for 1/4 and 5/4... one quarter is one fifth of 5 quarters :)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2630
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 3:32 pmFollowed by: 119 members
Location: East Bay all the way
Thanked: 625 times
GMAT Score:780

by Matt@VeritasPrep » Fri Dec 11, 2015 2:44 pm
Amrabdelnaby wrote:your answer was perfect!

now if you disregard the denominators of 5/4 and 1/4, you will find 1 and 5!
what fraction of 5 is 1? --> 1 is one fifth of 5. so the answer is 1/5.
same applies for 1/4 and 5/4... one quarter is one fifth of 5 quarters :)
Well put!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Sat Jan 13, 2018 9:26 am
gmattesttaker2 wrote:Hello,

Can you please tell me how to solve this:

What fraction of 3/4 + 1/2 is 3/4 - 1/2?

A) 1/5
B) 1/4
C) 1/3
D) 3/4
E) 5

OA: A

I was trying to solve as follows:

3/4 + 1/2 = 5/4

3/4 - 1/2 = 1/4

So, what fraction of 5/4 is 1/4?

But I was little confused as to how to represent this using algebra.

Thanks,
Sri
You were almost there.

It may be easier if we rephrase the question.
Notice that these two questions are EQUIVALENT.
"What fraction of X is Y?"
"Y is what fraction of X?"

So, "What fraction of 3/4 + 1/2 is 3/4 - 1/2?" is the same as "3/4 - 1/2 is what fraction of 3/4 + 1/2?"

Here, we go...
"3/4 - 1/2 is what fraction of 3/4 + 1/2?"
In other words: "1/4 is what fraction of 5/4?"
Well, 1/4 is one-fifth the size of 5/4
So, "1/4 is 1/5 of 5/4"

Answer: A

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed May 02, 2018 3:32 am

answer

by mimajit » Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:20 pm
Brent@GMATPrepNow wrote:
gmattesttaker2 wrote: What fraction of 3/4 + 1/2 is 3/4 - 1/2?

A) 1/5
B) 1/4
C) 1/3
D) 3/4
E) 5
You were almost there.

It may be easier if we rephrase the question.
Notice that these two questions are EQUIVALENT.
"What fraction of X is Y?"
"Y is what fraction of X?"

So, "What fraction of 3/4 + 1/2 is 3/4 - 1/2?" is the same as "3/4 - 1/2 is what fraction of 3/4 + 1/2?"

Here, we go...
"3/4 - 1/2 is what fraction of 3/4 + 1/2?"
In other words: "1/4 is what fraction of 5/4?"
Well, 1/4 is one-fifth the size of 5/4
So, "1/4 is [spoiler]1/5[/spoiler] of 5/4"

Answer: A

Cheers,
Brent
Hi Brent Can u help me understand how u concluded
" In other words: "1/4 is what fraction of 5/4?"
Well, 1/4 is one-fifth the size of 5/4
So, "1/4 is 1/5 of 5/4"

Answer: A "
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 1462
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:34 amFollowed by: 22 members
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 39 times

by Jeff@TargetTestPrep » Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:50 am
gmattesttaker2 wrote:Hello,

Can you please tell me how to solve this:

What fraction of 3/4 + 1/2 is 3/4 - 1/2?

A) 1/5
B) 1/4
C) 1/3
D) 3/4
E) 5
An easier version of this question is: "What fraction of 6 is 3?" We would write the fraction as 3/6. Similarly, when we are asked "What fraction of 3/4 + 1/2 is 3/4 - 1/2?" we will perform the same operation, as shown here:

(3/4 - 1/2)/(3/4 + 1/2)

Multiplying the expression by 4/4, we have:

(3 - 2)/(3 + 2) = 1/5

Answer: A

Jeffrey Miller
Head of GMAT Instruction
[email protected]

Image

See why Target Test Prep is rated 5 out of 5 stars on BEAT the GMAT. Read our reviews
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1