Answer:
1/2
Step-by-step explanation:
This can be done several ways. Perhaps the easiest is to use the decimal equivalents:
(2 3/4)/(5 1/2) = 2.75/5.5 = 0.5
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If you want to use the numbers given, the usual procedure is to convert them to improper fractions and do the division that way:
2 3/4 = (4·2 +3)/4 = 11/4
5 1/2 = (2·5 +1)/2 = 11/2
Now, the problem can be written as ...
(2 3/4) / (5 1/2) = (11/4) / (11/2)
This sort of division problem can be solved two ways:
<u>invert and multiply</u> (the denominator is inverted)
= (11/4) × (2/11) = (11·2)/(11·4) = 2/4 = 1/2
<u>use a common denominator</u> (for the two fractions)
= (11/4) / (11/2) = (11/4) / (22/4) = 11/22 = 1/2
The quotient is 1/2.
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<em>Additional comments</em>
It is helpful in many cases to just use decimal equivalents for the calculation. To do that, you need to be familiar with the equivalents of commonly used fractions. I find it is usually sufficient to know the unit fractions in each case. Then you can multiply or add to find the others.
1/9 = 0.1...(1-digit repeat), 1/8 = 0.125, 1/7 = 0.142857...(6-digit repeat), 1/6 = 0.16...(1-digit repeat), 1/5 = 0.2, 1/4 = 0.25, 1/3 = 0.3...(1-digit repeat), 1/2 = 0.5
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I learned the "invert and multiply" method for dividing fractions when I was in school. The Common Core math apparently also teaches the method of matching the denominators of a compound fraction. Then the result is the ratio of numerators. (A variation not taught is that you can match the numerators and use the inverse of the ratio of denominators. Both of these methods can be validated using the "invert and multiply" method. (11/4)/(11/2) = 2/4)
"Invert and multiply" is another way of saying that division is the same as multiplication by the reciprocal. This applies everywhere, not just in fraction problems.
