This might be a stupid question but... Say the problem is 4/5/8/6 you then make it (4/5) / (8/6) right? If so then can you then make it (4/8) / (5/6)??
When you say complex fractions, do you mean something like (4/8)/(2/5)? If so, then I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter if you change it to multiplication or leave it as division but personally i find it easier to work with if you change it to multiplication of the reciprocal.
9 comments:
This might be a stupid question but...
Say the problem is 4/5/8/6 you then make it
(4/5) / (8/6) right?
If so then can you then make it (4/8) / (5/6)??
No, I don't think you can because division isn't commutative. That's what I think, but I'm not positive.
Katie's right. Division isn't commutative. You would have to change it from (4/5)/(8/6) to (4/5)*(6/8)
When your simplfying complex fractions are you supposed to keep it as division or do you change it to multiplication? Or does it not matter?
Oh and are x/y and y/x recipracles? Or do i have that confused with something else?
I do not know what you mean about simplifying complex factions but for the question about x/y and y/x, they are reciprocals.
When you say complex fractions, do you mean something like (4/8)/(2/5)? If so, then I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter if you change it to multiplication or leave it as division but personally i find it easier to work with if you change it to multiplication of the reciprocal.
ya i did mean that when i said complex fractions! Thanks you guys!
For 4/5/8/6, you could make it 4/5* 6/8. You flip the second fraction. That's how I'm doing it.
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