what is 1/5 divided by 3

Guri Bee

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23-10-2024

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Understanding Division: Unpacking 1/5 Divided by 3

Have you ever encountered a math problem like "1/5 divided by 3" and felt a bit lost? You're not alone! This type of fraction division can seem tricky, but it's actually quite straightforward once you understand the underlying concept.

What is Division?

Division, at its core, is about splitting a whole into equal parts. For example, dividing a cake into 8 slices means you're splitting the whole cake (1) into 8 equal parts (1/8 each).

Understanding the Problem: 1/5 Divided by 3

In this case, we're not dividing a whole number (like 10) by 3. We're dividing a fraction (1/5) into 3 equal parts. To visualize this, imagine you have a pizza cut into 5 slices, and you want to divide those slices equally among 3 people.

How to Solve it:

There are two ways to approach this problem:

1. The "Keep, Change, Flip" Method

This method is a popular mnemonic for division of fractions:

• Keep: Keep the first fraction (1/5) as it is.
• Change: Change the division sign to a multiplication sign.
• Flip: Flip the second fraction (3, which can be written as 3/1) to its reciprocal (1/3).

The problem now becomes: 1/5 * 1/3

To multiply fractions, multiply the numerators (top numbers) and the denominators (bottom numbers):

(1 * 1) / (5 * 3) = 1/15

2. Using the Concept of "How Many Times Does it Fit?"

Another way to think about it is "how many times does 3 fit into 1/5?"

Since 1/5 is smaller than 3, we can't fit 3 whole times into it. We need to break down the 1/5 into smaller parts, and we find that 3 fits into 1/5 a total of 1/15 times.

The Answer

Therefore, 1/5 divided by 3 equals 1/15.

Additional Insights:

• Real-world example: Imagine you have 1/5 of a cup of flour and need to divide it evenly among 3 recipes. Each recipe would get 1/15 of a cup of flour.

• Connecting to Division of Whole Numbers: If you were to divide 5 by 3, the answer would be 1 with a remainder of 2. This means you can fit 3 into 5 one whole time, with 2 leftover. Similarly, when dividing 1/5 by 3, you can't fit 3 whole times, but you can fit it a fraction of a time, which is represented by the answer, 1/15.

Conclusion

Dividing fractions can seem daunting, but by understanding the underlying principles and applying the right methods, it becomes a straightforward process. Remember to visualize the problem, break it down into smaller parts, and use the "Keep, Change, Flip" method or the "How Many Times Does it Fit?" approach.

• Source: This article draws from the general understanding of fraction division, but it's also inspired by the helpful explanations found in various online forums and discussions, including those on Github, where users often share and discuss math concepts.