Any number multiplied by a fraction less than one becomes smaller. In this case too, the digit 4 becomes smaller and it becomes 2. Another way of expressing 4Ă—1/2 is half of 4. Half of 4 is definitely 2. Take another example: 4Ă—1/4. This is same as asking how much is one fourth of 4. One fourth of 4 is 1. Again when the number is multiplied by a fraction less than one, the number becomes smaller.
