If you take into account the 0.5 smerits generated for each merit sent than
...5 - 2(+0.5) - 1(+0.5) both half smerits would potentially generate another smerits totalling 39
To compare;
Each 1 merit sent generates 0.5 smerits = 10 × 0.5 = 5
As above ...5 - 2(+0.5) - 1(+0.5)
So, 30 + 5 + 2(+0.5) + 1(+0.5) = 39

Regardless of how you distribute merits it should generate same number of smerits, although splitting it more would mean it would need an extra merit to activate it by making it a whole 1