Math question

[thinkerbell]

How would “40 divided into thirds” be written?

A. 40 ÷ 3
B. 40 ÷ 1/3

Why?

 

[BrianL]

It is A.

40 / 3 will give you three equal parts that add up to 40, so thirds.

40 / (1/3) Would be dividing 40 by the outcome of 1/3 so each part above would be a third of the value and there would be many more of them. - EDIT - yes, duh, as otehrs have pointed out there be 120 of them, because you are dividing by a number less than 1.

I didn't do the math so I don't know if it all works out without remainders and such, but that is your answer.

 

[Mickeynutty]

It would be A. A means dividing 40 into 3 equal parts.

B is actually a complex fraction and would be 40 divided by 1/3 which is the same as 40 x 3 or 120.

 

[amcnj]

I agree, A.

A divides 40 into thirds, three equal parts of 13.33333

B shows how many 1/3’s are in 40, which is 120.

40 x 1/3 gives the same answer as A, as you are taking 1/3 of 40, or 13.33333.

 

[tasha99]

A.

40÷1/3 is the same as 40x3.

 

[starry_solo]

B.

Because you're saying dividing "into thirds" not "by three"

How would “40 divided into thirds” be written?

A. 40 ÷ 3
B. 40 ÷ 1/3

Why?

 

[Squirlz]

B.

Because you're saying dividing "into thirds" not "by three"

No, dividing into thirds means three equal parts.

 

[bcla]

40
---
3


Alternately it could be represented as a repeating decimal. It's 13.3 with 3's in perpetuity. A repeating decimal would be marked with an "overline" but there's no way to mark that here. I found this:

The second one is equivalent to 40 x 3, or 120.

 

[sonnyjane]

As others said, it’s A. B means dividing by 1/3 or actually multiplying by 3.

 

[Ben E N]

B.

Because you're saying dividing "into thirds" not "by three"

Into means put in that many groups, not controlled by. 40 divided by 1/3 would imply the 1/3 is in control.

I'm shocked that there's even any sort of debate on this. This is not a high level question.

 

[Wendy31]

B.

Because you're saying dividing "into thirds" not "by three"

No, because the original post said "divided into thirds" NOT "divided by a third".


3 thirds = 1 whole

or

1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 = 3/3 = 1

The original post was asking how to divide 40 into thirds... in other words, how to divide 40 into 3 parts.


So it would be -

40 divided by 3.

or

40/3

 

[Hikergirl]

B.

Because you're saying dividing "into thirds" not "by three"

Dividing "by 3" IS dividing "into thirds"

 

[AppleDumpling]

A is correct.

If you were to solve it algebraically, the equation would be 3x= 40.
Then you would solve for “x” by dividing 40 by 3.

 

[thinkerbell]

Thanks all!!

 

[starry_solo]

Dividing "by 3" IS dividing "into thirds"

I disagree. The OP is asking about whole numbers and fractions. I don't think a mathematician would consider dividing a whole number into thirds as dividing a whole number by another whole number.

 

[GreatLakes]

It is A. Another way to think about it is 40 * 1/3 as opposed to 40 / 1/3 and 40 * 1/3 is the same as A.

I disagree. The OP is asking about whole numbers and fractions. I don't think a mathematician would consider dividing a whole number into thirds as dividing a whole number by another whole number.

No, B would be "40 divided by one third" not "40 divided into thirds".

 

[PollyannaMom]

How would “40 divided into thirds” be written?

A. 40 ÷ 3
B. 40 ÷ 1/3

Why?

I disagree. The OP is asking about whole numbers and fractions. I don't think a mathematician would consider dividing a whole number into thirds as dividing a whole number by another whole number.

As a mathematician (BS, 1992) I read "into thirds" as producing 3 equal results. (When I teach it to kids, I tell them you are sharing equally among 3 friends/3 plates/3 bags...

Choice A is correct.

 

[Kaleidodad]

I disagree. The OP is asking about whole numbers and fractions. I don't think a mathematician would consider dividing a whole number into thirds as dividing a whole number by another whole number.

Then you would say 40 x 1/3 to "divide into thirds", which obviously produces the same result as 40/3.

 

[SirDuff]

I disagree. The OP is asking about whole numbers and fractions. I don't think a mathematician would consider dividing a whole number into thirds as dividing a whole number by another whole number.

This mathematician (well statistician - PhD, 20120) would consider "dividing a whole number into thirds as dividing a whole number by another whole number"

My dad taught me the same way as PollyannaMom (though we used cookies as our "thing to divide").

 

[Hikergirl]

I disagree. The OP is asking about whole numbers and fractions. I don't think a mathematician would consider dividing a whole number into thirds as dividing a whole number by another whole number.

Dividing something into thirds is the same as dividing a number in to 3 parts.
I don't think you'll find any mathematician that would disagree with that.