How did you divide a fraction by a whole number?

Dividing a fraction by a whole number can be done using two main methods: visually or by converting it into a multiplication problem.

Here's a breakdown of how to divide a fraction by a whole number:

Method 1: Visual Representation

This method helps to understand the concept.

• Concept: Imagine you are dividing a fraction into smaller, equal parts.
• Example: Let's say you want to divide 2/3 by 5.
  • Visually, you would take the 2/3 and divide it into 5 equal sections.
  • Each of these smaller sections represents a portion of the whole. In this case, each section would represent 2/15 of the whole.
• Result: Therefore, 2/3 divided by 5 equals 2/15. According to the reference, dividing 2/3 into 5 equal parts results in each part representing 2/15 of the whole.

Method 2: Multiplication

This is the more common and efficient method.

• Concept: Dividing by a whole number is the same as multiplying by the reciprocal of that whole number. The reciprocal of a whole number is simply 1 divided by that number.
• Steps:
  1. Find the Reciprocal: Determine the reciprocal of the whole number. For example, if you are dividing by 5, the reciprocal is 1/5.
  2. Multiply: Multiply the fraction by the reciprocal of the whole number.
• Example: Let's divide 2/3 by 5 again.
  1. The reciprocal of 5 is 1/5.
  2. Multiply 2/3 by 1/5: (2/3) * (1/5) = 2/15. According to the reference, multiplying 2/3 by 1/5 results in 2/15.
• Result: 2/3 divided by 5 equals 2/15.

Table Summarizing the Methods