5 divided by 1/2

Guri Bee

2 min read

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20-10-2024

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Why is 5 Divided by 1/2 Equal to 10? The Surprising Answer

You might be surprised to learn that 5 divided by 1/2 equals 10. This seemingly simple math problem often trips people up, but understanding the concept behind it is crucial for solving similar equations.

The Problem:

Many people mistakenly assume that dividing by a fraction is the same as dividing by a whole number. However, division by a fraction is essentially asking: "How many times does the fraction fit into the whole number?"

Let's Break it Down:

Imagine you have a pizza cut into halves. You have 5 whole pizzas, which is the same as 10 halves. If you want to know how many halves fit into those 5 pizzas, you're basically asking: "How many 1/2s are there in 5?"

The Solution:

• Think of dividing as grouping: 5 divided by 1/2 is the same as asking how many groups of 1/2 can you make from 5.
• Visualize it: Since each pizza has two halves, you can make two groups of 1/2 from each whole pizza. With 5 pizzas, you have 5 x 2 = 10 groups of 1/2.
• The answer: Therefore, 5 divided by 1/2 equals 10.

The Math Behind it:

To solve this mathematically, we can use the concept of reciprocal multiplication:

• Dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal.
• The reciprocal of 1/2 is 2/1.
• So, 5 divided by 1/2 is the same as 5 x 2/1, which equals 10.

Practical Applications:

Understanding how to divide by fractions is essential in various real-life situations:

• Cooking: If a recipe calls for 1/2 cup of flour, but you want to make a triple batch, you'll need to divide the amount by 1/3 to get the total flour required (1/2 ÷ 1/3 = 1.5 cups).
• Construction: If a carpenter needs to cut a piece of wood that's 5 feet long into sections that are 1/2 foot long, they'll need to divide the length by 1/2 to find out how many sections they can create (5 ÷ 1/2 = 10 sections).
• DIY projects: If you're making a craft and need to divide a 5-inch ribbon into equal pieces that are 1/2 inch long, you'll use division by 1/2 to figure out how many pieces you'll have (5 ÷ 1/2 = 10 pieces).

Key Takeaway:

Dividing by a fraction might seem confusing, but understanding the underlying concept and using reciprocal multiplication makes it much easier. Remember: dividing by a fraction is essentially asking "how many times does the fraction fit into the whole number?"