Seis dividido por dos son tres.

más facil: seis entre tres son ....

Heidita said:

más facil: seis entre tres son ....

Interesting. We have a similar construction in English (into), but the order changes.

6 divided by 2 is 3.
2 into 6 is 3.
3 into 6 is 2.

Or, stated another way, two goes into six three times.

Are you sure there is no order change in Spanish? (Just confirming, not challenging)

thanks much to both of you !

Heidita said:

más facil: seis entre tres son ....

I have received an off-list message from Heidita saying, "tres entre seis son dos." That coincides with the English I gave, but just so James Schneider doesn't get confused, the "seis entre tres son" that Heidita originally gave would have the solution of 1/2 (six into three is one-half). I'm sure Heidita meant to say "tres entre seis son..."

James said:

Heidita said:

más facil: seis entre tres son ....

I have received an off-list message from Heidita saying, "tres entre seis son dos." That coincides with the English I gave, but just so James Schneider doesn't get confused, the "seis entre tres son" that Heidita originally gave would have the solution of 1/2 (six into three is one-half). I'm sure Heidita meant to say "tres entre seis son..."

James, I probably did, but wrongly so, I was very busy at that moment. The Spanish form is as I gave it before in post 2:

6 Se utiliza en la operación matemática de la división para indicar que un número está dividido por otro: seis entre tres son dos.

http://es.thefreedictionary.com/entre

James said:

6 divided by 2 is 3. 2 into 6 is 3. 3 into 6 is 2. Or, stated another way, two goes into six three times.

Are you sure there is no order change in Spanish? (Just confirming, not challenging)

I am pretty sure. I found it a bit confusing the first time I saw this "2 into 3" in English (not I'm used to it, of course), which seems to be the preferred option of most students. In Spanish we normally say "entre" (most common option), or "dividido por" if you want to sound more technical, but are perfectly equivalent. Many of my Maths students get the order of the divisions the other way around, but in Spanish is less likely to happen, since we always state the dividend before the divisor.

6 entre 2 son 3.
2 entre 6 es 0.33333333....

6 Se utiliza en la operación matemática de la división para indicar que un número está dividido por otro: seis entre tres son dos.

Thanks for clarifying this. But it makes me wonder how that usage arose, since I don't understand the logic of entre here. Literally, "six among three is two." The English version makes sense, because we are saying that two will go (fit) into six three times. What is the logic of the Spanish version? Just curious...

James said:

6 Se utiliza en la operación matemática de la división para indicar que un número está dividido por otro: seis entre tres son dos.

Thanks for clarifying this. But it makes me wonder how that usage arose, since I don't understand the logic of entre here. Literally, "six among three is two." The English version makes sense, because we are saying that two will go (fit) into six three times. What is the logic of the Spanish version? Just curious...

I should think that it's something along the lines of "Six (things) split among three groups/piles is/makes two (per group)." And, then, the "split" was elided.

James said:

Thanks for clarifying this. But it makes me wonder how that usage arose, since I don't understand the logic of entre here. Literally, "six among three is two." The English version makes sense, because we are saying that two will go (fit) into six three times. What is the logic of the Spanish version? Just curious...

La preposición "entre" se usa para cuando algo se comparte o reparte (es decir, se divide en partes):

Lo haremos entre los tres - Cada uno hará la tercera parte del trabajo.

Diez monedas entre dos personas sale a 5 cada una - Cada uno se lleva 5.

¿Tiene sentido?

Esta preposición en latín (inter: "among, between") ya tenía un significado muy parecido al moderno para elegir ENTRE varias opciones: inter Marcellos et Claudios patricios iudicare.

I'm glad you guys continued this discussion as I was a bit confused too. So, seis entre tres son dos is essentially the same as seis dividido por tres son dos , without flipping the numbers around ,right ?
You could translate " entre" as "between" and say seis (divided) between tres son dos , or as "among" ....seis (divided) among tres son dos.

¿Tiene sentido'

Sí, más o menos (entre o por). (guiño)

(A ver si alquien entiende mi pobre chiste)

James said:

Heidita said:

más facil: seis entre tres son ....

Interesting. We have a similar construction in English (into), but the order changes.6 divided by 2 is 3.2 into 6 is 3.3 into 6 is 2.Or, stated another way, two goes into six three times.Are you sure there is no order change in Spanish? (Just confirming, not challenging)

It helps me to compare entre to over: "6 over 3".

James Schneider said:

I'm glad you guys continued this discussion as I was a bit confused too. So, seis entre tres son dos is essentially the same as seis dividido por tres son dos , without flipping the numbers around ,right ? You could translate " entre" as "between" and say seis (divided) between tres son dos , or as "among" ....seis (divided) among tres son dos.

Small point of English usage: "between" for two; "among" for three/more parts.

Sí entiendo su pobre chiste..... ¡muy bueno!