Divide 16 into 4 equal groups. One group is 1/4 of 16. What is `1/4 of 16?
provide the correct answer and 300 words explanation
To divide 16 into 4 equal groups, you would calculate ( \frac{1}{4} ) of 16, which means taking 16 and dividing it by 4. This is done by the calculation:
[
16 \div 4 = 4
]
So, ( \frac{1}{4} ) of 16 is 4.
Explanation
When we divide a quantity into equal parts, we are essentially splitting it into smaller, identical sections. In this case, dividing 16 into 4 equal parts means that each part, or each “group,” will be the same size, and all the groups together will add up to the original number, which is 16.
The phrase “1/4 of 16” refers to taking one-quarter (or one-fourth) of the number 16. In mathematical terms, finding a fraction of a number means multiplying the number by that fraction. So:
[
\frac{1}{4} \times 16 = 4
]
Alternatively, we can think of it as dividing 16 by 4, which results in the same answer. This is because fractions represent division: the fraction ( \frac{1}{4} ) implies dividing by 4.
Practical Example
Imagine you have 16 apples and want to share them equally among 4 people. Dividing these apples so each person gets the same amount means each person receives:
[
16 \div 4 = 4 \text{ apples}
]
Verification
To ensure the calculation is correct, you can check by adding the four groups of 4 back together:
[
4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 16
]
This confirms that dividing 16 into four equal parts results in each part being 4.