It is a four-step process to divide mixed numbers:
$$2\frac{1}{5}\,\div~\,5\frac{1}{2}\,=$$
Convert mixed numbers to impropers | $$\frac{11}{5}\,\div~\,\frac{11}{2}\,=$$ |
Flip second fraction and change divison to multiplication | $$\frac{11}{5}\,\times~\,\frac{2}{11}\,=$$ |
Multiply across | $$\frac{22}{55}$$ |
Simplify: reduce and rename | $$\frac{2}{5}$$ |
Example
The problem | $3\frac{1}{2}\div~5\frac{1}{4}\,=$ |
Convert mixed numbers into fractions | $\frac{7}{2}\div~\frac{21}{4}\,=$ |
Flip second fraction and change divison to multiplication | $\frac{7}{2}\times~\frac{4}{21}\,=$ |
Multiply across | $\frac{28}{42}\,=$ |
Simplify: reduce and rename | $\frac{28}{42}\,=\,\frac{2}{3}$ |
Example
The problem | $2\frac{2}{3}\div~1\frac{1}{5}\,=$ |
Convert mixed numbers into fractions | |
Flip second fraction and change divison to multiplication | |
Multiply across | |
Simplify: reduce and rename |
What if one of the numbers is a whole number instead of a mixed number?
For more practice with fractions, please try this Fraction Calculator.
Q1: $\,\,\,3\frac{1}{3}\,\div~\,2\frac{1}{6}\,=\,\,\,$ [show answer]
Q2: $\,\,\,1\frac{5}{6}\,\div~\,2\frac{1}{8}\,=\,\,\,$ [show answer]
Q3: $\,\,\,4\frac{1}{5}\,\div~\,3\frac{1}{2}\,=\,\,\,$ [show answer]