Understanding fractions
Lesson 3 of 11
Multiplying and dividing fractions
Objective. Multiply fractions directly and divide by multiplying by the reciprocal.
The key idea
Multiply straight across. To divide, flip the second fraction and multiply — dividing by 1/2 doubles, because halves fit twice into each whole.
Worked example
Calculate 3/4 ÷ 2/5.
- 1Flip the second fraction: 5/2.
- 23/4 × 5/2 = 15/8.
Answer: 15/8 = 1 7/8
Practice
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