Alex took 1/4 bottle of milk for his breakfast. What part of the milk was left if he drank 1/2 of the remaining milk for his snack?

So he drank 1/2 of 1/4 bottle? And he started with 1/4?

left = started - drank
= 1/4 - 1/2 * 1/4

I think the problem reads this way
Alex has a bottle of milk. Alex used 1/4 of it for breakfast, so 3/4 was left after breakfast.
Then Alex used 1/2(3/4) of the bottle for lunch, so 3/8 should be left.

you may be right. I just have a special place in my heart for word problems that leave one wondering.