what is the answer to divide 50 by half and add 20
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To solve the problem, “divide 50 by half and add 20,” we need to follow two steps.
- Dividing 50 by half:
Dividing a number by half is the same as multiplying that number by 2. So, dividing 50 by half is equivalent to: 50÷12=50×2=10050 \div \frac{1}{2} = 50 \times 2 = 10050÷21=50×2=100 This is because dividing by a fraction (in this case, half) is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal. - Adding 20:
Once we have the result from the first step (100), we add 20 to it: 100+20=120100 + 20 = 120100+20=120
Therefore, the final answer is 120.
Explanation:
The operation involves two main mathematical concepts: division by a fraction and addition. Dividing by half may seem counterintuitive because it’s typically thought of as splitting something into two equal parts. However, when you divide by a fraction, it increases the value. Multiplying by the reciprocal of 1/2 (which is 2) effectively doubles the original number. After doubling 50, we get 100, and adding 20 gives us 120 as the final result.
This kind of problem illustrates how operations like division and multiplication can sometimes interact in unexpected ways. It’s important to understand the rules of working with fractions and reciprocal values, as they often lead to results that might seem surprising at first glance.
