Final answer:
One-half of a standard township would contain 18 square miles. A township measures 36 square miles, so half of that area would result in 18 square miles.
Step-by-step explanation:
One-half of a standard township would contain 18 square miles. A township is a land division that is six miles long on each side, resulting in an area of 36 square miles. Considering this, one-half of a township, which is essentially half of this square area, would be half of 36, yielding a result of 18 square miles.
The system of townships was introduced under the Ordinance of 1785, which set forth the guidelines for surveying and selling land in the Northwest Territory. This method established a grid of townships to facilitate the sale of land to settlers, with each township being further subdivided into 36 sections, each section being one square mile or 640 acres.