How do you divide #1/2 div 1/8#?

1 Answer
Oct 20, 2016

#4#

Explanation:

To divide by a fraction:

Change the #div# to #xx# and flip the fraction which follows.

This means " multiply by the reciprocal"

We see this in every day life where:

"dividing something by 2," is the same as finding "half of it"

#12 div 2 = 12 xx 1/2 = 1/2 xx 12 = 6#

In this case we have:

#1/2 div 1/8#

= #1/2 xx8/1#

= #1/cancel2 xxcancel8^4/1#

=#4#

[This actually means there are 4 portions of #1/8# each in #1/2#]