Lesson 9: Dividing Fractions.

When you turn the fraction upside down you have a RECIPROCAL of the
original fraction.

Turning fraction upside down is also called inverting.

A reciprocal of	3	is	4	=	1	1
	4		3			3

A reciprocal of 1	2	=	7	is	5
A reciprocal of 1	5	=	5	is	7

A reciprocal of 3	=	3	is	1
A reciprocal of 3	=	1	is	3

Do you know how we call the numbers in division?

12		4	=	3
DIVIDEND		DIVISOR		QUOTIENT

To divide 2 fractions multiply the dividend by the reciprocal of the divisor.

You can do this by following few simple steps:

Find	1		2
	2		5

Solution:

1		2	=	1	x	5		Change the sign to x.
2		5	=	2	x	2		Invert (turn upside down) the divisor.

=	1 x 5	=	5				Multiply the numerators.
=	2 x 2	=	4				Multiply the denominators.

=	1	1							Change the result to a mixed fraction.
=	1	4							Change the result to a mixed fraction.

Find	2		2
			3

Solution:

2		2	=	2	x	3	Write 2 as	2	, invert the divisor and change the sign to x.
		3		1		2		1

=	2 x 3	=	6				Multiply the numerators.
=	1 x 2	=	2				Multiply the denominators.

=	3	= 3	Simplify the result.
	1

Find	3		6
	8

Solution:

3		6	=	3		6	Write 6 as	6	.
8				8		1		1

=	3	x	1						Invert the divisor and change the sign to x.
	8		6

=	3 x 1	=	1 x 1	=	1		Multiply the numerators and the denominators.
=	8 x 6	=	8 x 2	=	16		Simplify before multiplying (divide 3 and 6 by 3).

Find	2	1		1	1
		2			10

=	2	1		1	1	=	5		11	Convert mixed fractions to
		2			10		2		10	improper fractions.

=	5	x	10						Invert the divisor and change the sign to x
	2		11

=	5 x 10	=	5 x 5						Simplify before multiplying
=	2 x 11	=	1 x11						(divide 10 and 2 by 2)

=	25	=	2	3					Change the result to a mixed fraction.
=	11	=	2	11					Change the result to a mixed fraction.

Jamit Fractions - Lesson Contents


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