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Unit 7: Numeracy skills

Fractions

Dividing fractions

The trick with division of fractions is to turn the second fraction upside down and then to multiply. For example:

2 ÷ 1 = 2 x 5 = 1 0
-   -   -   -   -----
3   5   3   1     3

This answer can also be written as 3 1/3

2 ÷ 4 = 2 1 x   5 =   5          
-   - -----   ----   -----        
7   5     7   4 2   1 4          

2 ÷ 7 = 2 x 8 = 16                          
-   - - -   ---

 

                 
3   8   3   7   21                          

Creative Commons License
SMILE - Numeracy skills by Tom Frank, Eric Williams and Clare Wright, University of Birmingham Careers Centre adapted by Marion Kelt Glasgow Caledonian University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.