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Question

How would you divide 1/2 by 1/4?

3 years ago

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9 Replies

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14979 views

A

Anthony Bailey


9 Answers

S
Sophia X

1/2 divided by 1/4 is same as asking how many one fourths in one half ?

2 one fourths in one half

1/2 divided by 1/4 = 2

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Sarah L Verified Sherpa Tutor ✓

Former Lead Mathnasium Instructor. Over two thousand hours experience.

When dividing by a number less than 1, such as fraction - you gotta do some funky reverse flipping! This means your answer will be larger than the number you started off with!


The quickest way they teach you in school is to flip the divisor (the second fraction, 1/4 ) and MULTIPLY. So for example:


1/2 divided by 1/4 now becomes:


1/2 x 4/1 = ?


In maths, we like to multiply fractions because it is easier! To multiply fractions, we just need to times the numerators and denominators across:


Numerators: 1 x 4 = 4


Denominators: 2 x 1 = 2


This gives us an answer: 4/2


What is this simplified?


2/1 or just 2!

Thus, this answer is stating that a quarter fits into a half twice, which is true!

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C
Callum Males

To divide one fraction by another you have to find the reciprocal by flipping the numerator and denominator of the second fraction - 1/4 becomes 4/1. Once this is done, multiply the two numerators - 1 x 4. Next, multiply the two denominators - 2 x 1. Combine the numerator and denominator into one fraction, and simplify if necessary. 4/2 becomes 2/1.

M
Mateen Hussain

With division you always flip ths second fraction so in this case 1/4 becomea 4/1 and then multiple the numerator and denominator of each fraction so 1/2 * 4/1 = 2

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Maysa A Verified Sherpa Tutor ✓

Results-driven GCSE Maths & Science Tutor from Imperial College London

Here you would need to use the KCF (Keep, Change, Flip) Rule.


Keep - you keep the first fraction the same (1/2)

Change - you change the sign (change it to multiplication)

Flip - you flip the second fraction upside down (4/1)


Now the problem becomes:

= 1/2 x 4/1


= 1/2 x 4


= 4/2


= 2


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K
Keertika Dhingra

1/2x4/1=4/2=2


Answer=2

N
Nawal

Multiply 1/2 by the reciprocal (flipped fraction or 1/fraction) of 1/4. So 1/2 X 4/1 which is 2 as you multiply across when multiplying fractions.

R
Ruchi

1÷2/1÷4, can be written as

1/2×4/1=4/2= 1

M
Maggie

1/2 divided by 1/4 can be done by:

Flipping 1/4 so that it becomes 4/1.

Multiplying 1/2 by 4/1 to give (1x4)/(2x1)

= 4/2

= 2

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