When you divide one

fraction by another why

do you have to turn the
second one upside down
then multiply them?
 Question
• We’ll solve this
question.

1 3 • We know we
÷ would turn the
2 4 second fraction
upside down then
multiply them to
get the answer.

• The real question

is WHY do we do
this?!
 Question
1 3
÷ •
2 4 Fractions are
really just division
sums, numerator
divided by
1 denominator (top
÷bottom) so we
2 can rewrite the
question as shown

3
4
 Question
• If we multiply the
numerator and
denominator of a
1 4 4 fraction by the same
X number we get an
2 3 6 equivalent fraction.
(It’s still the
= same division
3 4 12 sum).
X
4 3 12 • Lets multiply top
and bottom by the
reciprocal of the
bottom fraction.
 Question
• Now the
denominator
1 4 4 of the big
fraction is
2 6 6 4 equal to 1
= = = since 12 ÷ 12

3 12 6 = 1.

4 12 1 • Anything
divided by 1 is
itself so the
answer is 4/6!
Compare the methods
1 3
÷
2 4

1 4 1 4 4
X X
2 3 Why does 2 3 6
=
“turn the 3
X
4 12
second fraction 4 3 12
4
= upside down 4
6 4
and multiply 6 6 4
= =
them” work? 12 6
12 1