What is 1.5 as a Fraction?
1.5 as a fraction in simplest form.
- A. 17/34
- B. 3/2
- C. 1/2
- D. 1/4
- E. 1/8
The Correct Answer is B. 3/2
Explanation
When we convert a decimal to a fraction, we can learn new things about the number we are working with. Here, we’ll convert 1.5 from a decimal to a fraction.
Understanding the Decimal
First, it’s important to know that 1.5 is a mixed decimal, meaning it has a whole number (1) and a decimal fraction (0.5). This means that our conversion process must take care of these things separately. We mostly deal with the numbers 1 and 0.5, which will be turned into fractions separately.
Converting a Whole Number and a Decimal Fraction into Fractions
The whole number 1 can be turned into a fraction by simply putting it over 1. So, the fraction for 1 is 1/1.
We’ll talk about the decimal fraction 0.5 next. This is a normal decimal; most people know it is the same as the fraction 1/2. So now we know how to turn 0.5 into the fraction 1/2.
Combining the Fractions
We want to combine our two fractions, 1/1 and 1/2, into a single fraction. We convert them into fractions with the same (or ‘common’) denominator. Because 1 and 2 fit into the number 2, we convert 1/1 to 2/2. Then we can add 2/2 to 1/2, which gives us 3/2.
So, if we understand decimals, turn them into separate fractions, and then add these fractions together, we can say that 1.5 is the same as 3/2.
