Step by step
The question
Question: work out 3/4 ÷ 1/2.
34 ÷ 12
1 Flip and multiply
Dividing by a fraction is the same as times its flip.
Keep the first number.
Change divide to times.
Turn the second fraction upside down.
÷ 12 → × 21
So 1/2 becomes 2, and divide becomes times.
= 34 × 21
2 Cancel first
Before we multiply, we make the numbers smaller.
2 on top and 4 at the bottom both divide by 2.
A top and a bottom divided by the same number: the answer stays the same.
2 and 4: ÷ 2 → 1 and 2
So we multiply smaller numbers.
= 32 × 11
3 Multiply tops and bottoms
To multiply fractions, we do top times top, and bottom times bottom.
A whole number is a fraction over 1.
= 3 × 12 × 1
3 times 1 is 3.
2 times 1 is 2.
= 32
Can we make it simpler?
No number goes into both 3 and 2, except 1.
So it stays like this.
simplest ✓
So the answer is 3/2.
Let's look back.
First: flip and multiply.
Then: cancel first.
Last: multiply tops and bottoms.
Answer
= 32