How come a circle can be split into 3 equal parts but the number 100 (100%) can't be?

Answer 1

But it can - 33 1/3% for each part

Answer 2

The number 100 can be because it would give the answer
33.33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 %.

If you mean why doesn't 100 divide without leaving any remainders, like a circle divides, with each side being completely the same, well the fractions are all completely the same.

If you mean when you divide a circle into 3 equal parts why don't you have to go into fractions of degrees, that is because there are 360 degrees in a circle, which is a multiple of 3.

If you mean why is it .333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
as this times 3 would be .9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
then the reason for this is that .9 recurring is equal to 1 as...

x = .9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
10x = 9.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

10x - x = 9x
9.99999999999999999999999 - 0.999999999999999999999 = 9
If 9x = 9, then x = 1.

Therefore if x = .9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 and 1 then
1 = .999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

Answer 3

What has the circle and the 100 got to do with each other.

There is a nice way around this problem. Introduce a new system where everything is 3 times bigger. So the 100 is actually 300. Now it is divisible by three.

Or even a better method. Draw a circle having an area of 100. Since you can split the circle into three all you have to do is to cut it into three and you have it.

Actually, I think you missed the point: You actually can divide hundred by three. The numbers and representation we use make it seem that there is an infinite pattern of 3's which never end. But practically after a few decimal places the digits become unsignificant

Answer 4

I think there is some confusion here.
The circle has already been split, and it happens that one common division of the circle is into degrees, which happens to be a number divisible by 3. If you thought of 100 as being a number already divided into 300 thirds, then you would have no difficulty in dividing it into three equal parts of 100 thirds.

ANSWER: They can both be split into 3 equal parts.

360 is divisible by 3 so you get a whole number (integer) answer. 100 is not divisible by 3 so you get a rational number, which can be written as 100/3 OR as a mixed number 33 1/3 OR as a decimal fraction 33.3... ("..." indicates that the number does not terminate, it is a recurring decimal).

There seems to be confusion and misunderstanding concerning decimals and fractions. Decimals are generally easier to use in calculations, but they do not give an exact answer unless the number you are dividing by has only powers of 2 or 5 among its factors(This is because decimals are in base ten, and ten has factors 2 and 5). This is fine for practical purposes because you can make your answer as exact as is needed for your application. Otherwise fractions have to be used.
Degrees are developed from the Iraqi system and they used 60 as their number base. This has the advantage of having more prime factors(2,3,5).

Other methods of measuring circles are gradians and radians.
400 gradians or 2pi radians make a complete turn. Radians are the normal measure for Mathematicians.
In neither of these cases is the number divisible by 3, so you would have to say that the third part of the circle was 120 degrees, 400/3 gradians or 2pi/3 radians.

THE REASON WHY the division works exactly for degrees is thanks to the Iraqis.

Answer 5

Anything can be divided into three equal parts... it's just a matter of whether you're willing to deal with a fraction or not.

100 ÷ 3 = 33 1/3, or
100% ÷ 3 = 33 1/3 %.

You say a circle can be divided into three equal parts, and it can...
360° ÷ 3 = 120° for each sector, sure... but degrees are not the only way the arc of a circle can be measured. In higher maths, a circle can also be measured in radians. The calculus, for example, doesn't work with trig functions unless you're using radians.

So, here's your circle (measured in radians) divided into three parts:
2π / 3 = approx. 2.0943951... radians, with an infinitely long, non-repeating set of digits following.

Frankly, I'd rather deal with 33 1/3.

Just saying... any number, length, or area can be divided by 3.

Answer 6

Of course 100 can be divided into three equal parts to get each part Worth 100(1/3) , what do you expect? what would you compare a circle to a number? Are they from the same family? lol!

Answer 7

A number is not a physical object you can hold.

Can you hold a 10? No. 1001? No.
It is a method of addressing quantity only.

Under the laws of division, numbers can be divided based on number-related satisfied conditions. You are requesting a full numbered answer (integer), which there is no solution for 100/3.
Certain number management rules have indefinite number of decimal points (example value of pi), and it is similar fo 100/3, which has an infinite number of decimals "3's".

There are also complicated numbers - between real and imaginary numbers. Imaginary numbers have a square root of minus 1 (sometime shown as "i").
There are lots of history in the development of numbers, and it can be interesting to read about from the internet and libraries.

Answer 8

In theory, every thing can be split into three equal parts.
100% / 3 = 33 1/3%.

Answer 9

100 can be split into 3 equal parts, each100/3 in size

Answer 10

A nice trick by the compass.

You can not use tools to split 100 as for the circle.

Answer 11

It can be, 100% / 3 = 33 1/3%. If you are trying to reason that 33.3333333 X 3 = 99.9999999 then yes it does, but
99.999 recurring = 100. Recurring means that the 9's go on forever.