Decimal
0.5
What is 1/2 as a decimal and percent?
Answer
1/2 as a decimal is 0.5. As a percent, 1/2 is 50%.
Percent
50%
Step-by-step working
1
Divide the numerator by the denominator
To turn any fraction into a decimal, divide the top by the bottom.
1 ÷ 2 = 0.5
2
Multiply by 100 for the percent
Percent means "out of one hundred". Multiplying a decimal by 100 (or moving the decimal point two places to the right) gives the percent value.
0.5 × 100 = 50%
3
Round if needed
In this case 1/2 produces a clean terminating decimal — no rounding is needed.
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Decimal
0.5
Percent
50%
About this fraction
One-half is the most-used fraction in everyday maths. Half of anything is the midpoint — half of 60 minutes is 30, half of an hour's pay is the half-day rate. The decimal 0.5 turns up in coin tosses, simple probability, and any 'one out of two' rate.
Common conversions
Related fractions and their decimal / percent values for quick comparison.
| Fraction | Decimal | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | 0.5 | 50% |
| 1/3 | 0.(3) | 33.3333% |
| 2/3 | 0.(6) | 66.6667% |
| 1/4 | 0.25 | 25% |
| 3/4 | 0.75 | 75% |
| 1/5 | 0.2 | 20% |
| 1/10 | 0.1 | 10% |
Frequently asked questions
What is 1/2 as a decimal?
1/2 as a decimal is 0.5. The decimal terminates cleanly. Divide the numerator by the denominator: 1 ÷ 2 = 0.5. For most everyday work, round to two or three decimal places.
What is 1/2 as a percent?
1/2 as a percent is 50%. Take the decimal value (0.5) and move the decimal point two places to the right — the same as multiplying by 100.
Is 1/2 already in lowest form?
Yes. 1/2 is already in lowest form because the greatest common divisor of 1 and 2 is 1.
Does 1/2 terminate or recur as a decimal?
1/2 terminates as a decimal. The denominator (after simplifying to 1/2) has only 2 and 5 as prime factors, so the long division ends.