Question 190030
This is a very poorly worded problem. For the answer to be 1/8, the problem should read :

If 1/2 the area of a garden is vegetable plants and 1/4 the vegetable garden is tomatoes, how much of the area is tomatoes? In that case, the answer would be "1/4 of 1/2" = 1/4 * 1/2 = 1/8

As it reads now, I would say the 1/4 of the area is tomato since "1/4 the total area is tomatoes, how much of the area is tomatoes?"