# What is half of 2/3 cup?



## Barb L.

Maybe Iam just old and stupid-  want to half a recipe that calls for 2/3 cups oil ?  Is it 1/3 ??  Help !


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## boufa06

Yes, of course.  Unless you would rather prefer it as two sixths!


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## kadesma

Barb,
you OLD?  Nah, and your right on it 1/3...
kadesma


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## kitchenelf

Barb L. said:
			
		

> Maybe Iam just old and stupid-  want to half a recipe that calls for 2/3 cups oil ?  Is it 1/3 ??  Help !




OK, I'll step out on a limb here - yes, it's 1/3 cup.  If you were to double THAT amount it would give you 2/3 cup.

(sorry for it appearing that I edited your post - I hit Edit versus Quote - typed my answer - my answer was IN your post!  lol  I removed it and made a new post - hence my edit - sorry)

And also edited to say that when I typed this no one had responded yet - lol


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## Barb L.

Ok, thanks alot, lol  - hubby and one son said no the other yes  !  Maybe just strange family !!  Love you all !!  Know I got you all to chuckle over this one!!


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## CharlieD

........... grrrrrr, which brings me to my bigest problem. Time to switch to metrick. I hate all this 2/3, 5/16, etc. Drives me crazy. I have couple of boxes of drills. The number and the letters ones are all organised in order, but the fractions, are just seating in the pile, as i have no clue which one is biger or smaller......


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## Aria

Charlie D,  That is easy....get yourself a drill gage.  My husband has an extra one..if you would like it.    It has all different size circles and the size is marked next to them.
Are you joking?


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## amber

Barb, get some measuring cups that are divided into cups.  

If your dividing measurements you just take 3/3=1  in other words 1/3 + 1/3+1/3 = 1

Same as if you took 1/4 cup you would just take 4/4= 1   1/4+ 1/4+ 1/4 =1/4

that last = sign should have been a + sign.  Sorry to mess it up,  But you get the idea of equal parts.


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## expatgirl

It is so hard to go from US measurements to metric-------but an electronic scale that converts to either grams and ounces has been a godsend!!!!  I'm even beginning to learn the conversions myself-----grams and all.  6 cucumbers is about the equivalent of one kilo or 2.2lbs.  aghhhhhhhhhhhh!


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## CharlieD

expatgirl said:
			
		

> It is so hard to go from US measurements to metric....


 
You must be kidding me, right? 



  Though I know what your problem is, you are trying to think how much one kilo in pounds or wise versa is. Don't do that. Same with distance, just except it as is. And then you'll be fine. Think of it as counting to 10, first grate problem right. If you know how to count to 10, you know how to use metric system. Everything is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Just try not to convert from one system to another. 


As far as drills go, I am a machinist and have been working for 15 years with standard system, still don't know what is going on. Okay, I kind know, but if you wake me up in the middle of the night and ask which one is bigger 7/64 or 3/32 I would not know the answer. On the other hand if you wake up anybody and ask what's bigger 2.35 millimeters or 2.75 they will tell that it is obvious that 2.35 is smaller then 2.75.
 I chose those numbers because they are very close, but I had to look them up.


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## StirBlue

My sister has never been strong in the area of fractions so to be on the safe side she just makes two recipes in seperate containers and then combines them.  I on the other hand check the table in the cookbook whenever I am in doubt.  I've seen some people just draw a picture of a circle or rectangle etc.


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## skilletlicker

expatgirl said:
			
		

> It is so hard to go from US measurements to metric...





			
				CharlieD said:
			
		

> You must be kidding me, right?


I'd be willing to bet that Charlie and expatgirl are in complete agreement but looking from opposite ends of question.

That electronic scale is very helpful when halving fractions such as 3/4's.  My measuring cup set didn't come with a 3/8's cup.  It's also pretty handy for fractions of an egg.  I assume 1/2 an egg = 23 grams.

If you cook for one or two as I most often do, scaling back recipes is a pretty common task.


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## Veloce

I wondered how long it would take for the metric enthusiasts to jump on this one  

CharlieD -- I agree that it's best not to think about conversions, but to get comfortable with different units. After years of working on old British motorcycles I have no trouble thinking 3/8" when I picked up the Whitworth wrench that is just under 5/8" across the flats. As for the 7/64 vs. 3/32 issue, the lowest common denominator is 64, isn't it? And 7/64 is clearly bigger than 6/64, isn't it?


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## Veloce

skilletlicker said:
			
		

> That electronic scale is very helpful when halving fractions such as 3/4's.  My measuring cup set didn't come with a 3/8's cup.


 Do you mean that you measure 3/4 cup, then weigh it, then put half of it, by weight, back in the original container? I use the 1/2 cup measure, don't fill it quite to the top, and get on with cooking.


			
				skilletlicker said:
			
		

> If you cook for one or two as I most often do, scaling back recipes is a pretty common task.


 I do it all the time and almost always use quick approximations like the above. Even baking recipes don't have to be followed that precisely.


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## skilletlicker

Veloce said:
			
		

> Do you mean that you measure 3/4 cup, then weigh it, then put half of it, by weight, back in the original container? I use the 1/2 cup measure, don't fill it quite to the top, and get on with cooking.


No sir, I meant that metric measurements are much more accurately scaled as CharlieD stated and that an electronic scale can be helpful device in the process, as suggested by expatgirl, and there are very well documented conversions for various flours, etc.




			
				Veloce regarding scaling back recipes said:
			
		

> I do it all the time and almost always use quick approximations like the above. Even baking recipes don't have to be followed that precisely.


 Many bakers agree that weight is a better measurement than volume.  It is also quicker in my opinion.  That doesn't mean that the approximations won't work, but it clearly is not the only way and certainly is not the most precise.


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## Katie H

I'm a little amazed at the response to Barb's question.  Very simply...she's begun with "2" thirds.  That means there are two of them.  If she wants only half of them, she'll need only "1" third.

However, I must agree with those who've discussed "scale" measuring.  I've been cooking using an electronic scale for quite a few years and love it.  It not only is an accurate way of portioning ingredients, it also is an efficient way as far as clean-up is concerned.  I've made any number of things and have dirtied up very few spoons, cups and bowls because I've zeroed the scale before each ingredient was measured.

P.S.  As for the "half" part of Barb's question, I've tutored math and her question just caught my interest from a number person's point of view.  Seemed elementary to me.


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## CharlieD

Veloce said:
			
		

> ... As for the 7/64 vs. 3/32 issue, the lowest common denominator is 64, isn't it? And 7/64 is clearly bigger than 6/64, isn't it?


 

 Yes it is , but you, or fine I, would have to think about the fact that 3/32 is in fact 6/64'. And I doubt there is anybody who needs to think what is biger 2 or 3.


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## CharlieD

Another example. I was multiplying a recipe. I need 10 table spoons of flour. I looked it in the table I have. Guess what, they had 8 or 12 but not 10. One was 1/2 of the cuo, one was 3/4 of the cup go figure what was the one I need.


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## YT2095

See all this ^^^^^^


NOW ya know why I hate/loathe maths as much as I do


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## buckytom

how many times can can you take away 1/2 of the contents of a cup before it is empty?


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## CharlieD

buckytom said:
			
		

> how many times can can you take away 1/2 of the contents of a cup before it is empty?


 
Infinite number of times


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## CharlieD

Yeah, did you see that thread 5/8, really how do you mesure it 5/8 if it's not on the mesuaring thing? It's just prooves my point


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## boufa06

Bucky, 567 times approximately!


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## boufa06

24 replies and still counting!!  Who needs Gobo to start threads!  BTW, what does all this have to do with maths, the metric system or the man on the moon!  Are you serious?


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## boufa06

CharlieD said:
			
		

> Infinite number of times


Oh yeah?  Halve the contents of a cup 567 times and tell me how much you got left.  See what I mean?  It is a reasonable shortcut to your 'infinite number of times' which would take a little longer to carry out.  Incidentally, another reasonable shortcut would be 365 times or 763 if a bit more of accuracy is desired.


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## bethzaring

buckytom said:
			
		

> how many times can can you take away 1/2 of the contents of a cup before it is empty?


 

I'd say infinity.

24 posts?  This thread is just getting started, I love numbers.


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## bethzaring

And I agree with Katie.  I thought this question was quite elemental.

What I have a mental block with is measuring butter.  I actually have a hand made chart on the frig with measurements in T., oz., sticks, pounds and cups.  I get butter in many different forms so I imagine that contributes to my confusion.


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## boufa06

bethzaring said:
			
		

> I'd say infinity.
> 
> 24 posts?  This thread is just getting started, I love numbers.


Have you ever tried to halve (not to mention quarter) a single grain of rice or a particle of powdered sugar?  If yes, tell me how you do it.  I would like to sharpen my maths too!


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## bethzaring

boufa, I don't get it.  Do you  mean mathmatically or physically?  But the answer would still be, no


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## boufa06

bethzaring said:
			
		

> boufa, I don't get it.  Do you  mean mathmatically or physically?  But the answer would still be, no


bethzaring, my post was meant as a joke!  It seems that too many people here got sidetracked with higher mathematics and lost sight of simple practical ways to resolve ordinary little problems.  Mathematics is useful to solve problems not to create bigger ones.  Yes, mathematics might tell you that removing one half of the contents of a cup each time would take infinite turns at it in order to empty the cup, ie. the cup would never be emptied.  You may agree with this.  However, mathematics also predict that if you take a hot pan out of your oven and put it out to cool in your kitchen, it will also take infinite time to reach the exact temperature of your kitchen ie. it will never cool to the same temperature as that of your kitchen.  Does your practical experience agree with this? Mathematics does have its limitations after all.


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## bethzaring

boufa06 said:
			
		

> bethzaring, my post was meant as a joke!


 

   

Well I enjoy getting sidetracted with mathmatics.  My mathmatics were not too high . I've been looking for nuggets of wisdom in each post.


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## Barb L.

Katie E said:
			
		

> I'm a little amazed at the response to Barb's question.  Very simply...she's begun with "2" thirds.  That means there are two of them.  If she wants only half of them, she'll need only "1" third.
> 
> However, I must agree with those who've discussed "scale" measuring.  I've been cooking using an electronic scale for quite a few years and love it.  It not only is an accurate way of portioning ingredients, it also is an efficient way as far as clean-up is concerned.  I've made any number of things and have dirtied up very few spoons, cups and bowls because I've zeroed the scale before each ingredient was measured.
> 
> P.S.  As for the "half" part of Barb's question, I've tutored math and her question just caught my interest from a number person's point of view.  Seemed elementary to me.


  Must defend my (elementary question) the reason asked, when looking at the measuring cup - 1/3 did not look like half, looked a lot less!  Period


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## Andy M.

If you break the cup measure down to tablespoons, you have 16.  If you divide 16 by 3 to get a third of a cup, you get 5 1/3 tablespoons.  You don't have to estimate a third of a tablespoon because that's a teaspoon.


...or you could use milliliters.


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## boufa06

Righto Andy!  I did feel in my bones from the start that there should be a simple answer to this problem.  Now my hunch has been proven right.  BTW, why don't we break down 2/3 cup into teaspoons right from the start so that we wouldn't have to face the vexing problem of how to estimate 1/3 tablespoons even for a moment?


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## auntdot

LOL Bucky, old philosophy question.

By only being able to go 1/2 of a measure one can obviously never get to the end.

But that defies reality.

Haven't thought about that in years.

As far as metric vs. English systems of measurements goes, we were both brought up with English but learned metric and now are equally facile in either. And can go from one to the other quite easily.

When I gain a few lbs I prefer to discuss my weight in stones, or in kilos, it makes me sound more svelte.

The hardest thing, even keeping within any system, is going between volume and weight. 

Things get particularly confusing when speaking of weight in ounces vs volume ounces.

At least the metric system does not include that confusion.

But for most people going from English to metric is fairly simple.

And in ten minutes can get anyone facile with the metric system, at least enough to buy a hunk of meat or cheese. No one can really tell the difference between a quart and a liter (for day to day practical purposes). And a meter is about a yard.

Used to teach that stuff, and people become used to the system very rapidly.

Frankly think we would be better off with the metric system, but really do not care personally.


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## boufa06

auntdot said:
			
		

> When I gain a few lbs I prefer to discuss my weight in stones, or in kilos, it makes me sound more svelte.


auntdot, that must be the best recipe for instant slimming!


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## Andy M.

boufa06 said:
			
		

> Righto Andy! I did feel in my bones from the start that there should be a simple answer to this problem. Now my hunch has been proven right. BTW, why don't we break down 2/3 cup into teaspoons right from the start so that we wouldn't have to face the vexing problem of how to estimate 1/3 tablespoons even for a moment?


 
Measuring out 16 teaspoons of a liquid is not preferrable to the "vexing problem of how to estimate 1/3 tablespoons even for a moment."


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## boufa06

Andy M. said:
			
		

> Measuring out 16 teaspoons of a liquid is not preferrable to the "vexing problem of how to estimate 1/3 tablespoons even for a moment."


Right again!  I do concede that the convenience of measuring out 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon far outweighs the instinctive fear (at least for the less mathematically oriented of us) of having to estimate 1/3 of a tablespoon outright.  By the way, if I had to halve 2 apples rather than 2/3 of anything, is there a suitable smaller unit that would let me carry out the halving calculation with the same ease and precision as halving 2/3 of a cup?


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## expatgirl

Wow, what interesting discussions this thread has wrought!!!!!  My biggest problem is that I've taken excellent nonmetric recipes to a metric posting and therefore available ingredients are in metric amounts.  Butter is a perfect example.  If I remember correctly the butter is in 500gm blocks and there is no hash marks to cut it down to size. Hence, the use of the electronic scale is essential for me.  Even when I"ve eyeballed what I think is 1/2 cups (and I"ve been cooking for over 25 years) I'm amazed at how much I vary from what the electronic scale weighs.  THis isn't a big problem for just general cooking but it may make a difference when it comes to baking.  And sure enough when I pile 6  regular cukes on the electronic scale I'm usually looking at 1 kilo!


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