how do you make 31/2 a whole number?

3 1/2 can't be a whole number. You could write it as 3.5

To make the fraction 31/2 a whole number, you can convert it to a mixed number or an improper fraction.

A mixed number consists of a whole number part and a fractional part. To convert 31/2 to a mixed number, divide the numerator (31) by the denominator (2) using long division. The quotient will be the whole number part, and the remainder will be the fractional part:

31 ÷ 2 = 15 remainder 1

Therefore, the mixed number equivalent of 31/2 is 15 1/2.

Alternatively, you can convert the fraction to an improper fraction, which has a numerator greater than the denominator. To convert 31/2 to an improper fraction, multiply the whole number part (31) by the denominator (2), and add the numerator (1):

31 × 2 = 62

Then, add the numerator to the product:

62 + 1 = 63

The improper fraction equivalent of 31/2 is 63/2.

Both the mixed number 15 1/2 and the improper fraction 63/2 represent the same value as 31/2, but they are expressed as whole numbers by incorporating the fractional part.