Dividing Fractions

with Pictures and

Symbols

Teacher Guide

This book belongs to:

_______________________________________

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20 1
 Division asks the question:
How many times can the second amount fit in
the first amount?_________________________

2 1=2
Draw it:
2

How many 1’s would fit inside of 2?

1 1
2 2 times!
19
 Let’s try it with fractions:

𝟏𝟏
1 𝟑𝟑
Draw it:
1

1
3

𝟏𝟏
1 𝟑𝟑
= __3___
3
18
 Try this problem: Practice: Use the “short-cut”.
1
1÷ 4
1
a. 2 ÷ = __12__
6

Write the question this division problem is asking:

1
How many times does fit inside of 1?_____________
4 5 24 4
______________________________________________ b. 4 ÷ = __ 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 4 ___
6 5 5
𝟏𝟏
Draw a picture of 1 &
𝟒𝟒
2 9 1
1 c. 3 ÷ = __ 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 4 __
3 2 2
1
4
𝟏𝟏 3 1 9 1
Draw another picture to represent how many ’s fit d. ÷ = __ 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 2 ___
𝟒𝟒 4 3 4 4
inside of 1:

1 7 3 35 8
e. ÷ = __ 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 1 __
1 1 1 1 9 5 27 27
4 4 4 4

1 5 11 1
It fits _ 4__ times! So 1 ÷ 𝟏𝟏
= _____.
f. ÷ = __ 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 1 ___
2 11 10 10
𝟒𝟒
4
17
Some of you might be thinking: Practice: Draw a diagram to get your solution.

1
a. 1 ÷ = __8__
8

“Why didn’t you teach “I already knew that

me that in the first
place? It’s so much or why did I have to learn
how to solve it with
1
b. 1 ÷ = __6__
6
easier.” pictures?”

1
c. 2 ÷ = __6__
3

It’s important to know while learning mathematics that

tips and short-cuts only exist because someone who 1
d. 2 ÷ = __4__
understood what was happening mathematically could find a 2
pattern that works EVERY TIME and simplify the steps.

It’s even more important to know that mathematics can 1

e. 1 ÷ = __9__
always be solved using an understanding of numbers. It does 9
not require memorization of tips and short-cuts to be
successful. We want to make sure tips and short-cuts help
1
our learning and don’t hinder it. Be sure you truly f. 2 ÷ = __12__
6
understand what is happening when you solve a problem!

16 5
What if both numbers are fractions? Step 1: Take the reciprocal of the second fraction. (This
means to flip to numerator and denominator.)
1 1
÷ 𝟏𝟏 𝟑𝟑
2 4 1 𝟑𝟑
1 𝟏𝟏
The question this division problem asks is:
𝟏𝟏 𝟏𝟏 Step 2: Change the division sign to multiplication.
“How many times does fit inside of ?”______________
𝟒𝟒 𝟐𝟐
𝟑𝟑 𝟑𝟑
1 1×
__________________________________________________
Draw a picture:
𝟏𝟏 𝟏𝟏
Start with 1 to get the Step 3: Multiply straight across.
1 proper ratios
𝟑𝟑 𝟑𝟑
1
2 1× 𝟏𝟏
=
𝟏𝟏
1
4 Step 4: Simplify the solution.

𝟑𝟑
=3
1 𝟏𝟏
2
𝟏𝟏 𝟏𝟏 1 1
1 1 __2__ ’s fit in ! So, ÷ = __2__ Here we can see that the short-cut worked!
𝟒𝟒 𝟐𝟐 2 4
4 4

6
15
 Practice: Draw a diagram to get your solution.
The Short-Cut
1 1
When dividing fractions, a short-cut that is often taught is this: a. ÷ = __2__
4 8

Step 1: Take the reciprocal of the second fraction. (This

means to flip to numerator and denominator.)

Step 2: Change the division sign to multiplication.

1 1
b. ÷ = __2__
3 6
Step 3: Multiply straight across.

Step 4: Simplify the solution.

Let’s see if this works with one of our first examples: 1 1

c. ÷ = __2__
6 12
𝟏𝟏
1
1 𝟑𝟑

We know from before

That three 1/3’s fit inside of 1. 1 1
d. ÷ = __2__
Let’s see if we get three 5 10
using our short cut.
1
3 7
14
 So far we have only worked with fractions that have a
𝟏𝟏
numerator equal to 1 like “ ". Let’s investigate dividing
𝟒𝟒
fractions with numerators other than 1.
2 any sort of pattern? Can you come up with a “short-cut” to
1÷
3
What question does this division problem ask?
How many 2/3 fit inside of 1?___________________
_____________________________________________
Draw a picture:
Looking for a pattern:
Look back through your notes in this booklet. Examine the
problems you solved and the answers to them. Do you notice
solve these problems?
Write what you think a short-cut could be here:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

1
1 1
Write an example using your short-cut here and show
3 that you get the same answer with our method to solve
3
problems using pictures.
2
3

Using our picture, we can clearly see that one “2/3” will
easily fit inside of 1. How would we describe the part that is
left over? How much of a “2/3” is left over?

8 13
Practice: Draw a diagram to get your solution.
1
4 5
a. 1 ÷ = __ __
5 4

2
3

5 7 2 This picture more clearly shows that one “2/3” fits inside of 1.
b. 1 ÷ = __ 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 1 ___ This is represented by the darker part of the 1 bar. Now, we
7 5 5
need to determine how much of “2/3” is left over in the 1 bar.
This is represented by the lighter part of the 1 bar.

3 8 2 Let’s move the left over part of 1 below the 2/3’s bar to
c. 1 ÷ = __ 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 2 ___ compare them.
8 3 3

1
2
3
3 8 2
d. 2 ÷ = __ 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 2 __
4 3 3
1
How much of 2/3 is left over? 2 of 2/3’s is left over.

12 9
Using the previous pictures, we figured out that: 1 Looking at the picture we
1 1 1 can see that one ¾ will fit
2
1 1 ÷ = 112 4 4 4 inside of 1.
1 1 3
3 3 3
4
2
3

1 How much of ¾ is left over

Let’s try another one:
1 1 1 in the 1 bar?
4 4 4 1/3 of ¾ is left over._______
3
1÷ _________________________
4
What question does this division problem ask?
How many ¾ fit inside of 1? _____________________
Using the pictures above, we figured out that:
_____________________________________________

Draw a picture: 3 1
1÷ = 1
4 3
1
1 1 1
4 4 4
10 11