12/17 is closet to 0 or 1/2

12/17 = 24/34

1/2 = 17/34

so it is 1/2.... I thought it was 1

Yes, it's 1/2

To determine whether 12/17 is closer to 0 or 1/2, we can find the absolute value of the difference between 12/17 and each of the options (0 and 1/2).

To find the absolute value of a number, we disregard its sign and consider only its numerical value. The absolute value of a number "a" is denoted as |a|.

First, let's find the absolute value of the difference between 12/17 and 0: |12/17 - 0|.

|12/17 - 0| = |12/17| = 12/17.

Now, let's find the absolute value of the difference between 12/17 and 1/2: |12/17 - 1/2|.

To subtract fractions, we need a common denominator. In this case, the least common denominator (LCD) is 34.

|12/17 - 1/2| = |(12/17)*(2/2) - (1/2)*(17/17)|
= |(24/34) - (17/34)|
= |(24 - 17)/34|
= |7/34|.

Now, we compare the values we obtained:
12/17 ≈ 0.706
7/34 ≈ 0.206

Since 7/34 is smaller than 12/17, it is closer to 0. Therefore, we can conclude that 12/17 is closer to 0 than to 1/2.