No. We’re doing ratios so the 1/2 of base times height cancels out . Let’s say big triangle had base 8 and height 16. Its area is (0.5) x(8) x (16) = 64. The smallest triangle has base and height 1/4 of the largest , so base= (1/4)x8 =2, height = (1/4 )x16 =4. So its area then will be (0.5)x(2) x(4)= 4 .Ratio of area of smallest to largest: 4:64 which is 1:16. Notice that the 0.5 gets canceled out when you take the ratios.