How to divide fractions

My rational numbers summary project is to explain how to divide fractions.

Before you start, make sure you have an improper fraction and not a mixed number.

Step 1. Take the reciprocal of the second fraction (the one you want to divide by). This means swapping the numerator an denominator of the fraction.

Step 2.  Cross reduce the fractions. This is like normal reducing but the number is on the side and not on top.

Step 3. Multiply the top numbers and the bottom numbers together.

Some examples include:

The first step is to flip the second fraction.

Then you replace the division sign in the middle with the flipped fraction on the side.

You cross-reduce

Multiply the reduced top and bottom

And your done!

Let’s try a harder example.

 

This time, the first thing you have to do is turn the mixed number into an improper fraction.

Then you do all the steps we did last time.

 

 

 

 

 

Some common mistakes people make are forgetting to find the reciprocal, forgetting to cross reduce as well as dividing the numerators instead of multiplying them. A tip to remember how to divide fractions is KFC. It stands for keep, flip, and change. I hope this post helped you on your journey to learn how to divide fractions!