# Is 0.5 singular or plural?

Is 0.
5 singular or plural?

$0. 5$
is a symbolic representation of a number and is neither singular nor plural.
All numbers, referred to as a number, are singular.
Hence we say
The number 0.
5 is spoken in English as zero point five or a half.
The value of the number is irrelevant.
Two is singular.
As is one, $\pi$, $\sqrt2$, and forty-two.
As you are probably aware 42 is the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything[1].
When attached adjectivally to a noun, whether the resulting phrase is singular or plural depends on the phrasing:
are both correct.
One is singular and the other is plural.
They might be pronounced as any of:
In English whatever “sounds right” to native speakers is, by definition, correct.
It has little, however, to do with mathematics or the value of numeric symbols except in the case of actually counting items with whole numbers.
Then it is clear:

It’s complicated:
As an abstract number, it’s singular: “0.
5 is larger than 0.
4.

As a quantifier of a unit, it’s usually plural (at least in technical writing): “0.
5 V” is pronounced “0.
5 volts” (cf.
“1 volt”).
(Basically everything except “a”, “an”, “1” or “one” is plural in this context.
Even “1.
0” is plural.
)
If a quantity involving 0.
5 and a unit is used as an attributive adjective, it goes back to singular: “a 0.
5-volt battery”.
If a quantity involving 0.
5 and a unit is used as a noun, it may be singular or plural according to the emphasis you want: “0.
5 volts is plenty.
” vs.
“0.
5 volts are plenty.
” (There’s very possibly a UK/US difference here, but I’m Australian, which is a mix, and I’ve been around the world so much I can’t keep it straight any more.
)

o.
5 is neither
The concept of “singular-plural” is applicable only to whole numbers.
0.
5 is a fraction.
It is neither singular nor plural.
While using in a sentence a fraction generally comes with the plural form of verb.
One-third of all human beings do not have access to clean water.
Over 50% of the people are not satisfied with their current work.
In sentences like these the verb is used for the larger group of which the fraction has been taken.
Hope it helps

# Is 0.5 singular or plural?

Is 0.
5 singular or plural?

$0. 5$
is a symbolic representation of a number and is neither singular nor plural.
All numbers, referred to as a number, are singular.
Hence we say
The number 0.
5 is spoken in English as zero point five or a half.
The value of the number is irrelevant.
Two is singular.
As is one, $\pi$, $\sqrt2$, and forty-two.
As you are probably aware 42 is the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything[1].
When attached adjectivally to a noun, whether the resulting phrase is singular or plural depends on the phrasing:
are both correct.
One is singular and the other is plural.
They might be pronounced as any of:
In English whatever “sounds right” to native speakers is, by definition, correct.
It has little, however, to do with mathematics or the value of numeric symbols except in the case of actually counting items with whole numbers.
Then it is clear:

0.
5 is a decimal number.
Numbers are adjectives that describe nouns, so they are neither singular nor plural.
1/2 or “one half” is a number expressed as a fraction.
It is also neither singular nor plural.
Note: When the denominator of a fraction is higher than two, it is expressed as a plural: 2/3 = two thirds, 3/7 = three sevenths.
This does not make the fraction plural, however.
However, we use a plural noun when expressing it in decimal numbers, and a singular noun when expressing it as a fraction (because fractions are used when referring to quantities that are less than one):
The envelope had a weight of 0.
5 pounds.
We drove 0.
75 miles.
The letter had a weight of half a pound.
We drove three quarters of a mile.
A mixed number consists of a whole number and a fraction.
We use a plural noun after mixed numbers (because mixed numbers are used when referring to quantities larger than one):
The envelope had a weight of 1.
75 pounds.
We drove 2.
66 miles.
The envelope had a weight of one and three quarter pounds.
We drove two and two- third miles.

It’s complicated:
As an abstract number, it’s singular: “0.
5 is larger than 0.
4.

As a quantifier of a unit, it’s usually plural (at least in technical writing): “0.
5 V” is pronounced “0.
5 volts” (cf.
“1 volt”).
(Basically everything except “a”, “an”, “1” or “one” is plural in this context.
Even “1.
0” is plural.
)
If a quantity involving 0.
5 and a unit is used as an attributive adjective, it goes back to singular: “a 0.
5-volt battery”.
If a quantity involving 0.
5 and a unit is used as a noun, it may be singular or plural according to the emphasis you want: “0.
5 volts is plenty.
” vs.
“0.
5 volts are plenty.
” (There’s very possibly a UK/US difference here, but I’m Australian, which is a mix, and I’ve been around the world so much I can’t keep it straight any more.
)

o.
5 is neither
The concept of “singular-plural” is applicable only to whole numbers.
0.
5 is a fraction.
It is neither singular nor plural.
While using in a sentence a fraction generally comes with the plural form of verb.
One-third of all human beings do not have access to clean water.
Over 50% of the people are not satisfied with their current work.
In sentences like these the verb is used for the larger group of which the fraction has been taken.
Hope it helps

Updated: 09.07.2019 — 1:34 pm