Division
Division is the most frequently tested operation in EPSO. Every ratio, percentage, and per-capita calculation requires division.
Practice This ConceptUnderstanding Division
Division answers the question "how many times does B fit into A?" or "what is A shared equally among B?" In EPSO numerical reasoning, you divide constantly: GDP per capita = GDP ÷ population, growth rate = change ÷ original, budget share = part ÷ total.
Formula
$result = \frac{A}{B}$
Key Rules
- A ÷ B and B ÷ A give completely different answers
- Dividing by a number less than 1 makes the result BIGGER
- Dividing by a number greater than 1 makes the result SMALLER
- You cannot divide by zero
- Order matters: "ratio of A to B" means A ÷ B, not B ÷ A
Examples in Action
1
1576 ÷ 586
=
2.69
German exports are 2.69× French exports
2
658 ÷ 498
=
1.32
Poland GDP grew to 1.32× its starting value
3
907.4 ÷ 150
=
6.05
Weighted average CO2 per capita
Common Errors
- Swapping numerator and denominator (A/B vs B/A)
- Reading the wrong row or column from the data table
- Dividing by the final value when the question asks about the starting value
Pro Tip
Before dividing, always label: "I am dividing [WHAT] by [WHAT]". Say it out loud. This catches 90% of division errors.