Dividing by 2, step by step
Dividing by 2 is just halving, the friendliest place to start division.
The question
16 ÷ 2
16÷2
2×?=16
2×8=16
16÷2=8
8×2=16
- 16 ÷ 2 means sharing 16 out equally between 2. Deal them round one at a time until they run out; the answer is how many end up in one share.
- Dealing out 16 one at a time works, and takes all day. The shortcut is the same fact read backwards: 2 shares of WHAT makes 16?
- 2 × 8 = 16. That is the one, so 16 ÷ 2 = 8.
- Worth checking, because it costs one multiplication: 8 × 2 = 16. It matches, so the answer holds.
How it works.
- 01
16 ÷ 2 means sharing 16 out equally between 2. Deal them round one at a time until they run out; the answer is how many end up in one share.
- 02
Dealing out 16 one at a time works, and takes all day. The shortcut is the same fact read backwards: 2 shares of WHAT makes 16?
- 03
2 × 8 = 16. That is the one, so 16 ÷ 2 = 8.
- 04
Worth checking, because it costs one multiplication: 8 × 2 = 16. It matches, so the answer holds.