Chapter 2: Problem 41
Divide the following fractions and mixed numbers. Reduce to lowest terms. $$\frac{15}{30} \div 10=$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
\( \frac{1}{20} \) is the simplified answer.
Step by step solution
01
Simplify the Fraction
First, simplify the fraction \( \frac{15}{30} \). This can be simplified by finding the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 15 and 30. The GCD is 15. So, \( \frac{15}{30} \) simplifies to \( \frac{1}{2} \) after dividing both numerator and denominator by 15.
02
Convert the Whole Number to a Fraction
Convert the whole number 10 into a fraction. You do that by expressing 10 as \( \frac{10}{1} \).
03
Change the Division to Multiplication
When dividing fractions or a fraction by a whole number, change the division sign to a multiplication sign and use the reciprocal of the divisor. Thus, \( \frac{1}{2} \div \frac{10}{1} \) becomes \( \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{1}{10} \).
04
Multiply the Fractions
Multiply the fractions: \( \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{1}{10} = \frac{1 \times 1}{2 \times 10} = \frac{1}{20} \).
05
Simplify the Result
Finally, check if the resulting fraction \( \frac{1}{20} \) can be simplified further. Since 1 and 20 do not have a common divisor other than 1, the fraction is already in its simplest form.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Fraction Simplification
Simplifying a fraction means reducing it to its lowest terms so that it still represents the same value with smaller numbers. To simplify a fraction, you divide both the numerator and the denominator by their greatest common divisor (GCD).
The denominator is the bottom part of a fraction, while the numerator is the top part.
\[ \frac{15 \div 15}{30 \div 15} = \frac{1}{2} \]
This gives us the fraction \( \frac{1}{2} \) which is simplified or reduced to its lowest terms.
The denominator is the bottom part of a fraction, while the numerator is the top part.
- For example, in the fraction \( \frac{15}{30} \), 15 is the numerator and 30 is the denominator.
- We find the GCD of 15 and 30, which is 15.
\[ \frac{15 \div 15}{30 \div 15} = \frac{1}{2} \]
This gives us the fraction \( \frac{1}{2} \) which is simplified or reduced to its lowest terms.
Greatest Common Divisor
The greatest common divisor (GCD) is the largest number that divides two or more integers without leaving a remainder.
Finding the GCD of two numbers helps simplify fractions easily.
For the fraction \( \frac{15}{30} \):
Finding the GCD of two numbers helps simplify fractions easily.
For the fraction \( \frac{15}{30} \):
- List the factors of 15: 1, 3, 5, 15
- List the factors of 30: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15, 30
- The common factors are 1, 3, 5, and 15, with 15 being the greatest.
Reciprocal of a Fraction
A reciprocal of a fraction is simply switching the positions of the numerator and the denominator.
If you have a fraction \( \frac{a}{b} \), its reciprocal is \( \frac{b}{a} \).
Reciprocals are incredibly useful in dividing fractions.
If you have a fraction \( \frac{a}{b} \), its reciprocal is \( \frac{b}{a} \).
Reciprocals are incredibly useful in dividing fractions.
- For instance, to divide \( \frac{1}{2} \) by \( \frac{10}{1} \), you take the reciprocal of \( \frac{10}{1} \) to get \( \frac{1}{10} \).
- Then, you change the division to multiplication: \( \frac{1}{2} \div \frac{10}{1} \) becomes \( \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{1}{10} \).
Multiplying Fractions
Multiplying fractions is a straightforward process and often simpler than dividing. To multiply fractions, you multiply the numerators together and the denominators together.
Here’s how you do it step-by-step:
After multiplying, always check if you can simplify the fraction further. However, \( \frac{1}{20} \) is already in its simplest form as there is no common factor between 1 and 20 other than 1.
This process of multiplying fractions ensures you reach the final result effectively.
Here’s how you do it step-by-step:
- Take the simplified fractions \( \frac{1}{2} \) and \( \frac{1}{10} \).
- Multiply the numerators: \( 1 \times 1 = 1 \).
- Multiply the denominators: \( 2 \times 10 = 20 \).
After multiplying, always check if you can simplify the fraction further. However, \( \frac{1}{20} \) is already in its simplest form as there is no common factor between 1 and 20 other than 1.
This process of multiplying fractions ensures you reach the final result effectively.