you want to make a 0.5 m acetate buffer at a ph = 5.5. how much acetic acid and base should you mix

2 answers

Do you mean 0.5 m or 0.5M. I see you don't seem to know there is a caps key on the keyboard. There is and I suggest you find it. m means molality and M means molarity. I assume you meant M. The next assumption is what volume do you want. Let's say 1000 mL.
pH = pKa + log (Ac^-)/(HAc)

Look up pKa, substitute into the equation, and solve for the ratio of (Ac^-)/(HAc). That is equation 1.

Eqquation 2 is HAc + Ac^- = 0.5.

Solve the two equation simultaneously for (HAc) and (.5)

Now, knowing (HAc) and (Ac^-) and that you want a liter of solution, calculate grams HAc and Ac^-.

Post your work if you get stuck.
Your prof PROBABLY wants you to add NaOH to HAc to prepare but you didn't show molarity of acids or bases available so I didn't do it that way.