Solve: 5/8 Divided by 2 - Fraction Division Practice

Q: Why do I multiply by the reciprocal instead of just dividing?

Dividing by a whole number is the same thing as multiplying by its reciprocal! Since $ 2 = \frac{2}{1} $, its reciprocal is $ \frac{1}{2} $. This method makes the calculation much easier.

Q: How do I find the reciprocal of a whole number?

To find the reciprocal of any whole number, just flip it upside down! The reciprocal of 2 is $ \frac{1}{2} $, the reciprocal of 3 is $ \frac{1}{3} $, and so on.

Q: Do I need to simplify my final answer?

Always check if your fraction can be simplified! In this case, $ \frac{5}{16} $ cannot be simplified further because 5 and 16 share no common factors besides 1.

Q: What if I get confused about which number goes where?

Remember: numerator times numerator, denominator times denominator. So $ \frac{5}{8} \times \frac{1}{2} = \frac{5 \times 1}{8 \times 2} = \frac{5}{16} $.

Fraction Division with Whole Numbers

$\frac{5}{8}:2=$

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Solve

00:03 Any number divided by 1 always equals the number itself

00:12 We'll convert division to multiplication by reciprocal

00:24 Make sure to multiply numerator by numerator and denominator by denominator

00:29 Calculate the multiplications

00:33 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

$\frac{5}{8}:2=$

Step-by-step solution

To solve the problem of dividing the fraction $\frac{5}{8}$ by 2, we can follow these steps:

Step 1: Understand that dividing by a whole number is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal. That means $\frac{5}{8} \div 2$ is equivalent to $\frac{5}{8} \times \frac{1}{2}$ .
Step 2: Perform the multiplication of fractions. Multiply the numerators and the denominators:

$\frac{5}{8} \times \frac{1}{2} = \frac{5 \times 1}{8 \times 2} = \frac{5}{16}$

Therefore, the solution to the problem is $\frac{5}{16}$ .

Final Answer

$\frac{5}{16}$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Division Rule: Dividing by a number equals multiplying by its reciprocal
Technique: Convert $\frac{5}{8} \div 2$ to $\frac{5}{8} \times \frac{1}{2}$
Check: Verify $\frac{5}{16} \times 2 = \frac{10}{16} = \frac{5}{8}$ ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Multiplying the fraction by the whole number instead of dividing
Don't multiply $\frac{5}{8} \times 2 = \frac{10}{8}$ ! This gives a larger answer when division should make the result smaller. Always remember that dividing by a whole number means multiplying by its reciprocal.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$\frac{1}{2}:3=$ $$ $$ $$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do I multiply by the reciprocal instead of just dividing?

Dividing by a whole number is the same thing as multiplying by its reciprocal! Since $2 = \frac{2}{1}$ , its reciprocal is $\frac{1}{2}$ . This method makes the calculation much easier.

How do I find the reciprocal of a whole number?

To find the reciprocal of any whole number, just flip it upside down! The reciprocal of 2 is $\frac{1}{2}$ , the reciprocal of 3 is $\frac{1}{3}$ , and so on.

Should my answer be bigger or smaller than the original fraction?

When dividing a fraction by a whole number greater than 1, your answer should be smaller than the original fraction. Since $\frac{5}{16}$ is smaller than $\frac{5}{8}$ , this makes sense!

Do I need to simplify my final answer?

Always check if your fraction can be simplified! In this case, $\frac{5}{16}$ cannot be simplified further because 5 and 16 share no common factors besides 1.

What if I get confused about which number goes where?

Remember: numerator times numerator, denominator times denominator. So $\frac{5}{8} \times \frac{1}{2} = \frac{5 \times 1}{8 \times 2} = \frac{5}{16}$ .

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