5 Divided by 5/8: Understanding the Concept
When it comes to division, most of us are familiar with dividing a number by a whole number or a fraction. But what happens when we encounter a problem like 5 divided by 5/8? In this article, we'll break down the concept and provide a step-by-step guide on how to solve it.
What does 5/8 mean?
Before we dive into the problem, it's essential to understand what 5/8 represents. In fraction form, 5/8 means 5 divided by 8, or 0.625 in decimal form. When we see 5/8 as the divisor, we need to convert it to its reciprocal and then multiply.
Converting the divisor to its reciprocal
To divide 5 by 5/8, we need to convert the divisor (5/8) to its reciprocal. The reciprocal of 5/8 is 8/5. Now, we can rewrite the problem as:
5 × 8/5
To evaluate this expression, we can start by multiplying 5 by 8, which gives us 40. Then, we divide the result by 5, which is the denominator of the fraction.
40 ÷ 5 = 8
So, 5 divided by 5/8 is equal to 8.
Key takeaways
- When dividing by a fraction, convert the divisor to its reciprocal.
- Multiply the dividend (5) by the numerator (8) and divide the result by the denominator (5).
- Practice solving similar problems to become more comfortable with dividing by fractions.
In conclusion, dividing 5 by 5/8 requires a simple conversion of the divisor to its reciprocal and then multiplying. By following these steps, you'll become more confident in tackling such problems.
