2/5 divided by 1/3

Guri Bee

less than a minute read

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18-10-2024

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Unraveling Division with Fractions: 2/5 Divided by 1/3

Dividing fractions can seem daunting, but it's actually a straightforward process once you understand the concept. Let's break down the problem of 2/5 divided by 1/3 and explore the reasoning behind the solution.

The Question:

How do we calculate 2/5 ÷ 1/3?

The Answer:

The solution involves a clever trick: we flip the second fraction (the divisor) and multiply. Here's how it works:

2/5 ÷ 1/3 = 2/5 x 3/1

This gives us: 6/5 or 1 1/5.

Why does this work?

The essence of division is finding out how many times one number goes into another. When we divide fractions, we're essentially asking: "How many times does 1/3 fit into 2/5?"

Flipping the divisor and multiplying is like changing the question to: "How many times does 3/1 fit into 2/5?" This simplifies the process because multiplying by the reciprocal (flipped fraction) essentially equates to dividing by the original fraction.

Practical Example:

Imagine you have a pizza cut into 5 slices, and you eat 2 of them (2/5 of the pizza). Now, let's say you want to divide your remaining pizza into thirds (1/3).

The question then becomes: how many of these 1/3 slices can you get from the remaining 2/5 of the pizza?

By dividing 2/5 by 1/3, you'll find out you can get 1 and 1/5 of these 1/3 slices from the remaining pizza.

Important Note: This approach is only applicable when dividing fractions. When dividing a fraction by a whole number, we simply divide the numerator of the fraction by the whole number.

In conclusion:

Dividing fractions might seem complex at first, but by flipping the second fraction and multiplying, we simplify the process. Remember that dividing by a fraction is equivalent to multiplying by its reciprocal, and this concept will help you conquer any fraction division problem.