Final answer:
The answer to multiplying 3 by ½ is 3/2, or 1½ as a mixed number. This represents 'one half' of three, which can be conceptualized as combining three separate halves to make one and a half.
Step-by-step explanation:
To multiply 3 by ½, we are essentially finding what 'one half' of three is. This can be done by directly multiplying the two values. In fraction form, 'one half' is represented as ½, so the calculation is:
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- Write down the problem as a multiplication of fractions: 3 × ½.
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- Rewrite the whole number 3 as a fraction by giving it a denominator of 1, which becomes: 3/1 × 1/2.
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- Multiply the numerators together (3 × 1 = 3) and the denominators together (1 × 2 = 2) to get: 3/2.
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- The fraction 3/2 can also be written as 1½, which represents one and a half.
Thus, 3 times ½ in fraction form is 3/2 or 1½ as a mixed number.
If you're familiar with other fractional concepts, such as knowing how many quarters are in a dollar or what portions of a pie represent, these can help in visualizing the problem.
In this case, if you think of three as three separate halves, combining them would give you a total of one and a half (since two halves make a whole).