Final answer:
In the calculation 8 / 1/5, the number 8 is referred to as the 'dividend'.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the expression 8 / 1/5, the number 8 is the dividend. When we talk about division, there are three main components: the dividend, the divisor, and the quotient. The dividend is the number that is being divided. In this case, 8 is the number that we are dividing by something else (1/5). Conversely, the divisor is the number by which the dividend is being divided, which in this example is 1/5. After the division is performed, the result is called the quotient.
To understand this better, consider that division is essentially the opposite of multiplication, and dividing by a number is the same as multiplying by the reciprocal of that number. For instance, dividing by 8 is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal, 1/8 (one eighth). Similarly, multiplying by 2 is the same as dividing by its reciprocal, 1/2 (one half). Multiplication and division are interconnected operations whereby one can be converted into the other through the use of reciprocals.