Chapter 7: Problem 71
Perform each indicated operation. $$ \frac{1}{3} \div \frac{1}{4} $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The solution is \( \frac{4}{3} \).
Step by step solution
01
Understand Division of Fractions
To divide by a fraction, you need to multiply by its reciprocal. The reciprocal of a fraction is obtained by swapping its numerator and denominator.
02
Find the Reciprocal
The fraction given in the denominator is \( \frac{1}{4} \). The reciprocal of \( \frac{1}{4} \) is \( 4 \) since \( \frac{a}{b} \) becomes \( \frac{b}{a} \).
03
Perform the Multiplication
Multiply the reciprocal obtained in Step 2 by the numerator fraction. So, you have \( \frac{1}{3} \times 4 \). Simplify to get \( \frac{4}{3} \).
04
Simplify the Result (If Needed)
Since \( \frac{4}{3} \) is already in its simplest form, there are no further simplifications to be made. It's an improper fraction.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Reciprocal of a Fraction
When you hear the term "reciprocal," it simply means "flipping" a fraction upside down. This means that the numerator becomes the denominator, and the denominator becomes the numerator. For example, if you have a fraction \( \frac{a}{b} \), its reciprocal is \( \frac{b}{a} \). Swapping these parts is necessary whenever you are dividing fractions.Understanding the reciprocal is crucial in fractions because it easily turns division problems into multiplication ones.
- For instance, if you need to divide \( \frac{1}{3} \) by \( \frac{1}{4} \), you don't divide, but instead multiply by the reciprocal of \( \frac{1}{4} \), which is \( 4 \).
Multiplication of Fractions
When multiplying fractions, the process is quite straightforward. You multiply the numerators together and the denominators together. This means simplifying tasks because there's no need to find a common denominator.For example, if you are given to multiply \( \frac{1}{3} \times 4 \) as part of your operation, do:
- Multiply the numerators: \( 1 \times 4 = 4 \).
- Multiply the denominators: \( 3 \times 1 = 3 \).
Simplifying Fractions
Once you've multiplied your fractions, you might need to simplify them. Simplifying a fraction means reducing it to its simplest form, where the numerator and the denominator have no common factors other than 1.Consider an example of a fraction \( \frac{4}{6} \):
- Divide both the numerator and the denominator by 2, which is their greatest common factor.
- The simplified fraction becomes \( \frac{2}{3} \).