Vulgar Fraction One Half ½

The Vulgar Fraction One Half character (½) is a standard HTML entity defined in the HTML specification. In HTML source code, it can be written using the named entity reference ½, the decimal numeric character reference ½, or the hexadecimal numeric reference ½. The character is assigned Unicode code point U+00BD in the Universal Character Set.

The one-half fraction is a precomposed character displaying ½ as a single glyph with proper typographic rendering. It is one of the most commonly used fraction characters and appears in recipes, measurements, financial contexts, and everyday text. Precomposed fractions render more cleanly than manually constructed numerator/slash/denominator combinations.

Mathematical HTML entities enable web authors to display proper mathematical notation without relying on images or specialized rendering libraries like MathJax or KaTeX. While complex equations and multi-line formulas may still benefit from dedicated math typesetting tools, individual symbols expressed as HTML entities render quickly, remain accessible to screen readers, and can be styled with CSS just like regular text content.

When deciding how to encode the Vulgar Fraction One Half character in your HTML documents, the named entity ½ is generally the most readable choice for developers reviewing or maintaining source code. The decimal form ½ and hexadecimal form ½ are equally valid alternatives that work in contexts where named entities may not be supported, or when generating HTML output programmatically from server-side code. All three representations produce identical visual output in every modern web browser.

Use the one-half fraction in recipes (½ cup), measurements (½ inch), financial contexts (½ percent), and any content where the fraction one-half needs to appear inline with text. The precomposed character is more compact and visually appealing than typing 1/2.