Solve Sequential Division: 8 ÷ 4 ÷ 2 Step by Step

Q: Why do I work from left to right instead of doing all divisions at once?

Division operations must follow the order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS). When you have operations of the same priority level like division, you work left to right. This ensures everyone gets the same answer!

Q: What if I accidentally did the divisions in the wrong order?

You might get a different answer! For example, doing $ 4 \div 2 $ first gives $ 8 \div 2 = 4 $, which is wrong. Always start with the leftmost operation first.

Q: Is this the same as 8 ÷ (4 ÷ 2)?

No! Parentheses change everything. $ 8 \div (4 \div 2) = 8 \div 2 = 4 $, but $ 8 \div 4 \div 2 = 1 $. Without parentheses, work left to right!

Q: How can I remember to work left to right?

Think of it like reading! Just as you read words from left to right, you solve equal-priority operations from left to right. Write each step: $ 8 \div 4 = 2 $, then $ 2 \div 2 = 1 $.

Q: Can I use multiplication to check my division answer?

Yes! Work backwards using multiplication: $ 1 \times 2 = 2 $, then $ 2 \times 4 = 8 $. If you get back to your starting number (8), your answer is correct!

Sequential Division with Left-to-Right Operations

$8 \div 4 \div 2 =$

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Understand the problem

$8 \div 4 \div 2 =$

Step-by-step solution

First, perform the division: $8 \div 4 = 2$ .

Next, multiply the result by 2: $2 \div 2 = 1$ .

So, the answer is $1$ .

Final Answer

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Order Rule: Perform division operations from left to right sequentially
Technique: First calculate $8 \div 4 = 2$ , then $2 \div 2 = 1$
Check: Work backwards: $1 \times 2 \times 4 = 8$ ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Treating sequential division as multiplication
Don't calculate $8 \div (4 \times 2) = 8 \div 8 = 1$ or think division means multiply = wrong process! This ignores the left-to-right order and can give coincidentally correct but conceptually wrong answers. Always perform each division step from left to right in sequence.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$8 + 3 \times 2 =$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do I work from left to right instead of doing all divisions at once?

Division operations must follow the order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS). When you have operations of the same priority level like division, you work left to right. This ensures everyone gets the same answer!

What if I accidentally did the divisions in the wrong order?

You might get a different answer! For example, doing $4 \div 2$ first gives $8 \div 2 = 4$ , which is wrong. Always start with the leftmost operation first.

Is this the same as 8 ÷ (4 ÷ 2)?

No! Parentheses change everything. $8 \div (4 \div 2) = 8 \div 2 = 4$ , but $8 \div 4 \div 2 = 1$ . Without parentheses, work left to right!

How can I remember to work left to right?

Think of it like reading! Just as you read words from left to right, you solve equal-priority operations from left to right. Write each step: $8 \div 4 = 2$ , then $2 \div 2 = 1$ .

Can I use multiplication to check my division answer?

Yes! Work backwards using multiplication: $1 \times 2 = 2$ , then $2 \times 4 = 8$ . If you get back to your starting number (8), your answer is correct!

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