Question 592810
Start by converting the given mixed number to an improper fraction.


 <img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large 2 \frac{1}{2} = 2 + \frac{1}{2}" />


 <img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large 2 \frac{1}{2} = \frac{2}{1} + \frac{1}{2}" />


<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large 2 \frac{1}{2} = \frac{2*2}{1*2} + \frac{1}{2}" />


<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large 2 \frac{1}{2} = \frac{4}{2} + \frac{1}{2}" />


<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large 2 \frac{1}{2} = \frac{4+1}{2}" />



<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large 2 \frac{1}{2} = \frac{5}{2}" />

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Now that we know that <img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large 2 \frac{1}{2} = \frac{5}{2}" />, we can divide it in half



<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large \frac{2 \frac{1}{2}}{2} = \frac{\frac{5}{2}}{2}" />



<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large \frac{2 \frac{1}{2}}{2} = \frac{\frac{5}{2}}{\frac{2}{1}}" />


<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large \frac{2 \frac{1}{2}}{2} = \frac{5}{2}\frac{1}{2}" />



<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large \frac{2 \frac{1}{2}}{2} = \frac{5*1}{2*2}" />



<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large \frac{2 \frac{1}{2}}{2} = \frac{5}{4}" />



Now convert back to a mixed number.




<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large \frac{5}{4} = \frac{4+1}{4}" />



<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large \frac{5}{4} = \frac{4}{4}+\frac{1}{4}" />



<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large \frac{5}{4} = 1+\frac{1}{4}" />



<img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large \frac{5}{4} = 1\frac{1}{4}" />



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Answer:


So dividing a piece of wood measuring  <img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large 2 \frac{1}{2}" /> inches into two equal pieces means that each piece is <img src="http://latex.codecogs.com/gif.latex?\large 1\frac{1}{4}" /> inches long.