## What are the Basic and Right Rules for Dividing Fractions?

Fractions have its set of rules for multiplication, division, subtraction and also for addition. Multiplication of fractions is easy, but the division of fractions it little difficult. However, if you know the rule of dividing fractions, you can easily divide two fractions very easily. Fraction is one of the important concepts of the algebra, and you should know the operations on fractions like the multiplication and the division. It is important as you will come across with fractions while studying the algebraic equation and various problems of algebra. Here, you can get informed about the division as well as multiplication of fractions.

Before you study how to divide the fractions, you should know how to multiply fractions. It will help you in the division also. If you do not know how to multiply two fractions, you can’t divide the fractions. The rule of multiplication is very simple. Multiply the denominator of the first fraction with another fraction and just like multiply the numerators of both fractions. So you will get a new fraction after multiplication.

How to divide the fractions?

The basic rule for the division of fractions is simple. Dividing fractions is followed by the reciprocal and multiplication. It’s the single operation in which you have needed to reciprocal a fraction. You can better get it by reading the simple steps of division listed below.

Step 1: first invert the divisor fraction only and use the inverted divisor.

Step 2: now, rewrite the problem and replace the multiplication sign “x” to the division sign “÷” and also replace the divisor fraction by its reciprocal.

Step 3: multiply the numbers at the numerator place of both fractions.

Step 4: multiply the numbers at the denominator place of both fractions.

Step 5: if possible, reduce the fraction obtained by multiplication into its lowest form.

Example:

Important thing to consider

But keep in mind that you have only to reciprocal only a single fraction. So, do not reciprocal or invert both the fractions which you are using for the division. So, you have only required inverting the divisor fraction only. There is no need to invert the dividend according to the rule of fraction division. In simple words, only invert the second fraction and use the first fraction as it is to solve fraction division problems. It is the most important consideration for dividing fractions correctly.

The same rule will be followed in the problems of dividing a fraction by a whole number. You have to invert the whole number in this case as the whole number is the divisor. So, the whole number will automatically convert into a fraction. You will get a new fraction and then multiply the numerators and denominators.

In this case, convert the whole number into its reciprocal by putting 1 in the numerator and the number at denominator place. So five becomes 1/5, and it is the reciprocal of that number.

Thus, you can easily get the right solution of the dividing fractions problems. You can divide a fraction by another fraction by following the reciprocal and multiplication rule.