What is 1/2 of 39?

How to calculate 1/2 of 39?

1. Multiply the whole number by the numerator of the fraction: 39 × 1 = 39
2. Divide this result by denominator of the fraction: 39/2 = 19.5

Since 39/2 is an improper fraction, the result could also be expressed as a mixed number: 19 1/2

How does it work?

The principle behind finding a fraction of a number, such as 1/2 of 39, is rooted in the method of cross-multiplication.

Consider the following proportion: $\frac{1}{2}=\frac{x}{39}$ (where x represents 1/2 of 39)

1. Using the cross-multiplication method, multiply both numerators by their opposite denominators: $1\times 39=2x$
2. Which gives: $39=2x$
3. Divide both sides by 2 to isolate x: $\frac{39}{2}=\frac{2x}{2}$
4. Which gives the result: $\frac{39}{2}=x$

Thus, 1/2 of 39 is equal to 39/2 (or 19.5 in its decimal form).