Basic Mathematics for College Students

1.5 Dividing Whole Numbers 63

EXAMPLE (^8) Estimate the quotient:
StrategyWe will round the dividend and the divisor up and find
WHYThe division can be made easier if the dividend and the divisor end with
zeros. Also, 6 divides 18 exactly.
Solution
The estimate is 3,000.
If we calculate the quotient is exactly 2,995. Note that the
estimate is close: It’s just 5 more than 2,995.

170,71557,



The divisor is

approximately

To divide, drop one zero from 180,000

and from 60 and find 18,000 6.

170,715 57 180,000 60 3,000



The dividend is

approximately

180,00060.

170,715 57

Self Check 8

Estimate the quotient:

Now TryProblem 59

33,642 42

8 Solve application problems by dividing whole numbers.

Application problems that involve forming equal-sized groups can be solved by
division.

EXAMPLE (^9) Managing a Soup Kitchen A soup kitchen plans to
feed 1,990 people. Because of space limitations, only 144 people can be served at
one time. How many group seatings will be necessary to feed everyone? How
many will be served at the last seating?
StrategyWe will divide 1,990 by 144.
WHYSeparating 1,990 people into equal-sized groups of 144 indicates division.
Solution
We translate the words of the problem to numbers and symbols.
is equal to divided by

1,990 144

Use long division to find

The quotient is 13, and the remainder is 118. This indicates that fourteen group
seatings are needed: 13 full-capacity seatings and one partial seating to serve the
remaining 118 people.

13

144 1,990

 144

550

 432

118

1,990144.

 

The number of

group seatings

the number

of people at

each seating.

the number of

people to be fed

The number of

group seatings

Self Check 9

MOVIE TICKETS On a Saturday,

3,924 movie tickets were

purchased at an IMAX theater.

Each showing of the movie was

sold out, except for the last. If the

theater seats 346 people, how

many times was the movie shown

on Saturday? How many people

were at the last showing?

Now TryProblem 91