Lesson 2: Divide a unit fraction by a whole number.

Property

To divide a unit fraction $\frac{1}{b}$ by a whole number $c$ using a tape diagram, you partition the $\frac{1}{b}$ piece into $c$ equal parts. Each new, smaller part represents the fraction $\frac{1}{b \times c}$ of the whole.

Examples

Property

When dividing a unit fraction by a whole number, you can rename the unit fraction into an equivalent fraction to make the division easier. Create an equivalent fraction where the numerator is equal to the whole number divisor. Then, divide the numerator by the divisor, which will result in a numerator of 1, and keep the new denominator.

Examples