Question

What is 50000 divided by 0.001?

Answer 1

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

We can write `0.001` as `1/1000`

We can also write `50000` as `50000/1`

We can now write this problem as:

`(50000/1)/(1/1000)`

We can now use this rule for dividing fractions to evaluate the expression:

`(color(red)(a)/color(blue)(b))/(color(green)(c)/color(purple)(d)) = (color(red)(a) xx color(purple)(d))/(color(blue)(b) xx color(green)(c))`

`(color(red)(50000)/color(blue)(1))/(color(green)(1)/color(purple)(1000)) = (color(red)(50000) xx color(purple)(1000))/(color(blue)(1) xx color(green)(1)) = 50000000/1 = 50,000,000`

Answer 2

`50,000,000`

Explanation:

There are several approaches taught about how to handle this question type. Sometimes by non maths specialists and as such the explanation has the potential to be wrong. But generally they get the job don! The incorrect teaching shows up later in higher maths.

Consider what we are dividing by.

An alternative way of writing `0.001` is:

`0+0/10+0/100+1/1000`

So by dividing by `0.001` we are dividing by `1/1000`

I am not going to explain why but ask you to just accept what follows.

When dividing by a fraction turn it upside down (invert it) and then multiply instead.

So `50000-:0.001` gives the same answer as `50000xx1000/1`

Just put the 5 first, count the zeros and write that count of zeros after the 5.

`5` with 4+3 zeros `-> 50000000`

Some people like to put a comer between each of 3 zeros reading right to left. So they would write: `50,000,000`

Makes it easier to read!