1/2 as a Decimal

1/2 as a decimal is 0.5 exactly, which is 50%.

Result

Answer

\frac{1}{2} = \textcolor{#0b5c56}{0.5}

1/2 as a decimal is 0.5.

  • Percent: 50%

50 of 100 squares ≈ 1/2

Step-by-step solution

The problem

\frac{1}{2}

  1. Divide 1 by 2 (long division). Write down how many times 2 goes in, carry the remainder, add a 0 and divide again. The remainder is 0, so the decimal ends here.

    StepDivideDigitRemainderWorking
    Whole part1 ÷ 2012 × 0 = 0, 1 − 0 = 1
    Decimal place 110 ÷ 2502 × 5 = 10, 10 − 10 = 0

  2. Read off the decimal. The digits are read from the Digit column.

    = 1 \div 2 = \textcolor{#0b5c56}{0.5}

  3. Check with a shortcut. The denominator 2 can be made 10 by multiplying by 5, so the decimal ends after 1 place.

    \frac{1}{2} = \frac{1 \times 5}{2 \times 5} = \frac{5}{10} = 0.5

All the working together

\begin{aligned} &\frac{1}{2} \\[8pt] &= 1 \div 2 && \textcolor{#5b6660}{\textsf{divide}} \\[8pt] &= \textcolor{#0b5c56}{0.5}\end{aligned}

1/2 in other forms

Decimal0.5
Percent50%
Equivalent fractions2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10
The other way0.5 as a fraction

Why it ends

In lowest terms the denominator is 2 = 2. Its only prime factors are 2 and 5 (the factors of 10), so the division comes out exactly and the decimal ends.

Fractions over 2 as decimals

FractionDecimalPercent
1/20.550%
3/21.5150%
5/22.5250%

Frequently asked questions

What is 1/2 as a decimal?

1/2 as a decimal is 0.5. Divide 1 by 2 to get it.

What is 1/2 as a percent?

1/2 is 50%: multiply the decimal by 100 (move the decimal point two places to the right).

Is 1/2 a terminating or a repeating decimal?

Terminating – the digits stop. In lowest terms the denominator is 2 = 2. Its only prime factors are 2 and 5 (the factors of 10), so the division comes out exactly and the decimal ends.

More fractions as decimals

Any other fraction: use the Fraction to Decimal Calculator, or see every fraction to sixteenths on the printable fraction chart.