Final answer:
The pattern provided by the student halves the number each time. The question is what half of 1/2 is, and using basic fraction halving, the answer is 1/4.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about a pattern that halves a number each time and wants to find out what half of 1/2 (one half) is. We can use the knowledge that half of a whole (1) is 1/2, and logically, that half of 1/2 is 1/4.
In mathematical terms, halving a fraction like 1/2 involves multiplying the numerator by 1 (which keeps it the same) and the denominator by 2 (since we are dividing by an additional 2).
- 1 halved becomes 1/2 (0.5),
- 4 halved becomes 2,
- 6 halved becomes 3,
- 1/2 halved becomes 1/4 (0.25).
Therefore, the last part of the sequence is 1/2 to 1/4.