Question

I really am terrible at basic math.

Answer 1

Two identical pies were cut into 16 pieces. If one of the resulting pieces was then split equally among three people, what fraction of a pie did each person receive?

Answer 2

So, I know you say 1/8 * 1/3. But why is it 1/8th? If there are 16 slices and they only eat one, that is 1/16.

Answer 3

If 5 apples are divided among 3 children equally, each child gets (5 divided by 3) or 5/3 apples. Agree? Remember, the answer does not have to be a whole number, it could be a fraction (like 1 and two-thirds of an apple).

The two pies don't matter. What matters is the total number of pieces, or 16 pieces.
So 16 pieces divided among 3 people. Each person gets (16 divided by 3) pieces.
What's your answer?

Answer 4

But this says three people divide up ONE of the 16 pieces.

Answer 5

@mathmate

Answer 6

The answer should be a fraction (like 5/3 apples).
If the fraction simplifies to an integer, so much the better. Otherwise, they will need a knife to split up the remaining piece.
Try again and give the answer as a fraction.

Answer 7

The answer in the book is 1/24

Answer 8

Ok.

Answer 9

Ok, sorry, I misunderstood the question. The question asks how much of a pie each person received from splitting that piece! lol

Now the two pies is important.
16 pieces out of two pies, so each pie was cut into 8 pieces.
One piece was 1/8 of a pie.

Now the question becomes
1/8 of a pie split among three people, so each person receives (1/8 divided by 3) pies.
What would the answer be (as a fraction?)

Answer 10

Ok. So that is 1/24.

It's just hard for me to comprehend the 1/8th. I understand 2/16 is 1/8. But that means 16 slices in total, and they only use one of those 16 slices...

Answer 11

The question says 2 pies were cut into 16 pieces. If we assume that they made the cuts equally, then we have
2 pies = 16 pieces, so 1 pie = ? pieces
would give you 8 pieces to a pie, right?

Answer 12

Right, I got that :)

Answer 13

So there are 8 pieces in one pie, and the people get that one

Answer 14

But still, there are 16 slices in total. They could get any one of those 16 pieces from the two pies. I guess I'm just gonna have to go on...I don't see it.

Answer 15

you know what, I just got it. "What fraction of a pie" That is one pie = 1/8 *1/3 thanks

Answer 16

You're welcome! :)