$40 \div \frac{1}{2} =$
Answer (1)
To divide by a fraction, multiply by its reciprocal.
The reciprocal of 2 1 is 2.
Multiply 40 by 2: 40 × 2 = 80 .
The final answer is 80 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are asked to divide 40 by the fraction 2 1 . This is equivalent to asking how many halves are in 40.
Dividing by a Fraction To divide by a fraction, we multiply by its reciprocal. The reciprocal of 2 1 is 2.
Rewriting the Expression So, the expression 40 ÷ 2 1 becomes 40 × 2 .
Calculating the Product Now, we simply multiply 40 by 2: 40 × 2 = 80 .
Final Answer Therefore, 40 ÷ 2 1 = 80 .
Examples
Imagine you have 40 apples, and you want to divide them into halves to share with friends. This problem shows you how many halves you would have in total. Understanding division by fractions is useful in many real-life situations, such as scaling recipes, calculating proportions, and understanding rates.
