2-5

2-5 Dividing
DividingRational
RationalNumbers
Numbers

Warm Up
Problem of the Day
Lesson Presentation

Course
Course 33
 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers

Warm Up
Multiply.
5 1
1. –3 6 –2 2
2
2. –15 – 3
10

3. 0.05(2.8) 0.14

4. –0.9(16.1) –14.49

Course 3
 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers

Problem of the Day

Katie made a bookshelf that is 5 feet long.

The first 6 books she put on it took up 8
inches of shelf space. About how many
books should fit on the shelf?
45

Course 3
 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers

Learn to divide fractions and decimals.

Course 3
 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers

Vocabulary
reciprocal

Course 3
 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
A number and its reciprocal have a product of 1.
To find the reciprocal of a fraction, exchange the
numerator and the denominator. Remember that
an integer can be written as a fraction with a
denominator of 1.

Course 3
 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Multiplication and division are inverse operations.
They undo each other.
1 2 = 2 2 ÷ 2 1
=
3 5 15 15 5 3
Notice that multiplying by the reciprocal gives the
same result as dividing.
2 5 2•5 1
= =
15 2 15 • 2 3

Course 3
 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Additional Example 1A: Dividing Fractions
Divide. Write the answer in simplest form.
5 1
A. 11
÷
2
5 1 = 5 2
÷ • Multiply by the reciprocal.
11 2 11 1
= 5 2
• No common factors.
11 1
10
= Simplest form
11

Course 3
 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Additional Example 1B: Dividing Fractions
Divide. Write the answer in simplest form.

2 3 2
B. ÷
8
2
2 38 ÷ 2 = 19
8
÷ 1
Write as an improper fraction.
19 1
= Multiply by the reciprocal.
8 2
19 • 1
= No common factors
8•2
19 3 19 ÷ 16 = 1 R 3
= 16 = 1 16

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Check It Out: Example1A
Divide. Write the answer in simplest form.

A. 7 3
÷
15 4
7 3 7 4
÷ = • Multiply by the reciprocal.
15 4 15 3
7 • 4 No common factors.
=
15 • 3
28
= Simplest form
45

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Check It Out: Example1B
Divide. Write the answer in simplest form.
2
B. 45÷3
22 3 Write as an
4 25 ÷ 3 = 5
÷ 1 improper fraction.
22 1
= 5 3
Multiply by the reciprocal.
22 • 1
= No common factors.
5•3
22 7
1
= 15 or 15 22 ÷ 15 = 1 R 7

Course 3
 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers

When dividing a decimal by a decimal,

multiply both numbers by a power of 10 so
you can divide by a whole number. To decide
which power of 10 to multiply by, look at the
denominator. The number of decimal places
is the number of zeros to write after the 1.

1.32 1.32 10 13.2

= =
0.4 0.4 10 4

1 decimal place 1 zero

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Additional Example 2: Dividing Decimals

Find 0.384 ÷ 0.24.

0.384 ÷ 0.24 = 0.384 100 = 38.4

0.24 100 24

= 38.4 Divide.
24

= 1.6

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Check It Out: Example 2

Find 0.585 ÷ 0.25.

0.585 ÷ 0.25 = 0.585 100 = 58.5

0.25 100 25

= 58.5 Divide.
25

= 2.34

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Additional Example 3A: Evaluating Expressions with
Fractions and Decimals
Evaluate the expression for the given value of
the variable.
5.25 for n = 0.15
n
5.25 5.25 100 0.15 has 2 decimal
=
0.15 0.15 100 places, so use 100 .
100
525
= Divide.
15
= 35
5.25
When n = 0.15, n = 35.
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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Additional Example 3B: Evaluating Expressions with
Fractions and Decimals
Evaluate the expression for the given value of
the variable.
k ÷ 4 for k = 5
5
4 = 5 • 5 Multiply by the
5÷ 1 4 reciprocal.
5
5•5 25 1
= = = 64 Divide.
1•4 4

4 1
When k = 5, k ÷ = 6 4 .
5

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Check It Out: Example 3A
Evaluate the expression for the given value of
the variable.
2.55
for b = 0.75
b
2.55 2.55 100 0.75 has 2 decimal
=
0.75 0.75 100 places, so use 100 .
100
= 255 Divide.
75
= 3.4
2.55
When b = 0.75, b = 3.4.
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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Check It Out: Example 3B
Evaluate the expression for the given value of
the variable.
4
u ÷ , for u = 9
7
4 9 7 Multiply by the reciprocal.
9÷ 7 = 1 4
9•7
= No common factors
1•4
3
= 15 4
4 3
When u = 9, u ÷ =15 4 .
7
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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Additional Example 4: Problem Solving Application
1
A cookie recipe calls for 2 cup of oats.
3
You have 4 cup of oats. How many
batches of cookies can you bake using
all of the oats you have?
1 Understand the Problem
The number of batches of cookies you can
bake is the number of batches using the
oats that you have. List the important
information:
3
The amount of oats is cup.
4
1
One batch of cookies calls for cup
2
of oats.
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 3-4
2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Additional Example 4 Continued

2 Make a Plan

Set up an equation.

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 3-4
2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Additional Example 4 Continued

3 Solve
Let n = number of batches.
3 1
4
÷2 =n
3 2
• =n
4 1
6 1
4
, or 1 2 batches of the cookies.

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 3-4
2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Additional Example 4 Continued

4 Look Back
1
One cup of oats would make two batches so 1
2
is a reasonable answer.

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Check It Out: Example 4

A ship will use 1 of its total fuel load for a

6
typical round trip. If there is 5 of a total
8
fuel load on board now, how many
complete trips can be made?

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Check It Out: Example 4 Continued

1 Understand the Problem

The number of complete trips the ship can
make is the number of trips that the ship
can make with the fuel on board. List the
important information:
1
It takes 6 of the total fuel load for a complete
trip. You have 5 of a total fuel load on board
8
right now.

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Check It Out: Example 4 Continued

2 Make a Plan
Set up an equation.

Amount of Amount of fuel Number of

fuel on board
÷ for one trip
= trips

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Check It Out: Example 4 Continued

3 Solve
Let t = number of trips.
5 1
÷ =t
8 6
5 6
8
• 1 =t
30 3
8
, or 3 4 round trips, or 3 complete
round trips.

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Check It Out: Example 4 Continued

4 Look Back
A full tank will make the round trip 6
times, and 5 is a little more than 1 , so
8 2
half of 6, or 3, is a reasonable answer.

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 2-5 Dividing Rational Numbers
Lesson Quiz
Divide.

1. 2 5 ÷ –1
1 –1 8
6 2 9
2. –14 ÷ 1.25 –11.2

3. 3.9 ÷ 0.65 6

112
4. Evaluate for x = 6.3. 17.7
x
5. A penny weighs 2.5 grams. How many
pennies would it take to equal one pound
(453.6 grams)? about 181
Course 3