A simple-looking note card is making the rounds with a bold claim: “The answer is not ‘38’.” The quiz reads:
“100 divided by half minus 2 is…?”
At first glance, many people rush into quick mental math and land on 38—but that comes from misunderstanding the phrase “divided by half.”
What “Divided by Half” Actually Means
In math, dividing by half is the same as dividing by 0.5, which effectively doubles the number.
So:
- 100 ÷ 1/2 = 100 ÷ 0.5 = 200
Then the problem says minus 2:
- 200 − 2 = 198
The Correct Answer
198
Why People Get “38”
The common wrong path is treating the phrase as if it means “divide 100 by 2,” then subtract 2:
- 100 ÷ 2 = 50
- 50 − 2 = 48
Or mixing steps in a way that leads to 38. The key mistake is replacing “half” with “2” instead of recognizing half = 1/2.
Takeaway
This puzzle is less about advanced math and more about careful reading: dividing by half increases the number, it doesn’t reduce it.
