To convert the mixed number 3 1/2 to a decimal, we start by separating the whole number from the fractional part. The whole number is 3, and the fraction is 1/2.
Next, we need to convert the fraction 1/2 into a decimal. To do this, we can divide the numerator (1) by the denominator (2). Performing the division gives us:
1 รท 2 = 0.5
Now, we can combine the whole number with the decimal. So, we take the whole number 3 and add the decimal we just found (0.5):
3 + 0.5 = 3.5
Thus, the decimal equivalent of 3 1/2 is 3.5.