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"Divide 50 by half".My understanding of this sentence is half refers to 50 so it's asking you to divide 50 by 25 (which is half of 50). However, the other interpretation I've seen is that half simply means "a half" thus the questions is asking you to divide 50 by 1/2 (the fraction).Can anyone explain which is the correct interpretation based on structure?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AnonymousMy understanding of this sentence is half refers to 50 so it's asking you to divide 50 by 25 (which is half of 50).

I suspect this is "the least likely answer". Answer: 2. In this interpretation the answer is always 2, by the way, no matter if you start with 50, 6, 158, or 1,529,374 or whatever.

AnonymousHowever, the other interpretation I've seen is that half simply means "a half" thus the questions is asking you to divide 50 by 1/2 (the fraction).

This is the answer you get when you take this to be a mathematical problem. Answer: 100.

AnonymousCan anyone explain which is the correct interpretation based on structure?

I would use the mathematical interpretation. However, there is also an ordinary-language interpretation which is equivalent to the mathematical task of dividing 50 by 2. It is the result of the speaker's misunderstanding (a common misunderstanding) of mathematical terminology. The misunderstanding is that 'divide by' means the same as 'cut in(to)', so that "Divide 50 by half" means to them "Cut 50 in half". Answer: 25.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

In the US, this would always be understood to mean divide 50 by 2, which gives 25.  The other interpretations - divide by 25, giving 2, and divide by 1/2, giving 100 - are unusual mathematical operations, which are never meant by the original statement.

GPY · Answer

Anonymous"Divide 50 by half".My understanding of this sentence is half refers to 50 so it's asking you to divide 50 by 25 (which is half of 50). However, the other interpretation I've seen is that half simply means "a half" thus the questions is asking you to divide 50 by 1/2 (the fraction).Can anyone explain which is the correct interpretation based on structure?

To me it seems like a confusion amongst "Divide 50 by 2", "Divide 50 in half" and possibly (but less likely) "Divide 50 by a/one half". I would imagine the answer is intended to be 25, but it is not properly expressed.

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