Final answer:
The number of pairs of shoes in a closet is half the total number of shoes. If s represents the total number of shoes, then s/2 represents the number of pairs of shoes.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the number of shoes in a closet is s, then the number of pairs of shoes in the closet can be found by dividing the total number of shoes by two, since it takes two shoes to make a pair. Therefore, the number of pairs of shoes is s/2.
For example, if s equals 10, this means there are 10 shoes in total in the closet. To find out how many pairs that would be, you would perform the calculation 10 divided by 2, which equals 5. So, there would be 5 pairs of shoes in the closet.
The student's question involves basic algebra and is relevant in the context of a lesson on variables and expressions. This concept of pairing items is also a practical application of division.