First step: multiply 1/2 by 2 to get the common denominator for 2 3/4. After multiplying, 1/2 would become 2/4
Second step: add 2/4 and 3/4. The answer would be 5/4 or 1 /4. We can disregard the whole number that came with 3/4 originally.
Third step: multiply 5/4 by 2 to get the common denominator for 3/8. After multiplying, it would be 10/8.
Fourth step: subtract 3/8 from 10/8. After subtracting, it would be 7/8.
Fifth step: add the 2 that we disregarded from the second step and add it to 7/8
The answer is 2 7/8.