Real-world problems and number sentences: Applied

Phillp has baked a big pizza loaded with toppings. Now he wants to invite some friends over to help him eat it! He’s not sure how many friends to invite, though. How many people will the pizza feed? Phillip cuts the pizza into eight slices.

He wants to make sure everyone, including himself, gets two slices. We can write Philip’s problem as a number sentence, using division. Eight slices of pizza, divided by an unknown number of friends, equals two slices per friend. Eight divided by something equals two. Phillip takes out one plate and puts two slices on it.

Now he has six slices left. He takes out another plate and puts two slices on it. He has four slices left. He takes out a third plate and puts two slices on it. Now there are just two slices left.

Philip takes out one more plate and puts the remaining slices on it. There! Two slices for each person. And how many plates are there, Phillip? One, two, three, four.

Eight slices of pizza divided between four friends equals two slices each! Philip’s off to text his friends!