This classic math riddle has been confusing people all over social media! It sounds like a simple calculation at first, but it is actually a clever puzzle that tests how carefully you read the wording.
The riddle asks: “Divide 40 by half then multiply by 5.”
What makes this problem so tricky is the exact phrasing of “divide by half.” When we read this quickly, our brain often jumps to the phrase “divide in half.” If you divide 40 in half, you get 20. Multiplying 20 by 5 would give you 100, which is the most common wrong answer!
However, dividing by half means dividing by the fraction 1/2 (or 0.5). Mathematically, when you divide a number by a half, it is the exact same as multiplying it by two.
So, 40 divided by 1/2 equals 80.
Once you have that correct first step, the rest is easy. You simply take your 80 and multiply it by 5 to find your final solution.
Answer: 400.
