5. \( 12 \times 2 \frac{1}{2} \)

To solve \( 12 \times 2 \frac{1}{2} \), first convert the mixed number into an improper fraction. This gives us \( 2 \frac{1}{2} = \frac{5}{2} \). Now you can multiply \( 12 \) by \( \frac{5}{2} \): \[ 12 \times \frac{5}{2} = \frac{12 \times 5}{2} = \frac{60}{2} = 30. \] So, \( 12 \times 2 \frac{1}{2} = 30 \). When multiplying fractions, a common mistake is forgetting to simplify. Always remember to break down the numbers when possible! For instance, here you could have simplified \( 12 \) down to \( 6 \) and multiplied by \( 5 \) before dividing by \( 1 \) (the denominator). This makes the math lighter!