Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

What is the mathematical representation for half of a number, n?

1. 2n

2. n/2

3. n + 2

4. 1/2n

The correct answer is: n/2

When considering the mathematical representation for half of a number, n, the expression n/2 accurately conveys this relationship. The operation of dividing a number by 2 yields half of that number, which is the fundamental definition of halving something. In this case, when you take n and divide it by 2, you effectively reduce its value to one-half, which is what we're looking for. This makes n/2 the correct representation for half of the number n. Other options do not represent this concept accurately. For instance, multiplying n by 2 would yield double the value of n, not half. Adding 2 to n increases its value and doesn't reflect halving, while multiplying 1/2 by n could also be confusing without proper notation, as it's generally written as (1/2) * n or (1/2)n, which still results in half. Therefore, n/2 is the simplest and most direct representation of half of n.