a ribbon is 3 2/3 yards long. Mae needs to cut the ribbon into pieces that are 2/3 yard long. I try 3 2/3 divided by 2/3 so the answer I get is 5 1/2. but when I used the model section I get 5 1/3. Please help me I am so confused.
(11/3) / (2/3)
(11/3) * (3/2) = 33/6 = 5 3/6 = 5 1/2
She'll get 5 pieces.
I can definitely help explain the discrepancy in your answers. Let's break it down step by step.
To find out how many 2/3 yard pieces you can get from a ribbon that is 3 2/3 yards long, you need to divide the length of the ribbon by the length of each piece.
Using the division method, you did: 3 2/3 ÷ 2/3.
To divide fractions, you need to remember that dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal. So in this case, you need to flip the fraction 2/3 to get 3/2, then multiply:
3 2/3 ÷ 2/3 = 3 2/3 × 3/2
Now, let's multiply the whole numbers first: 3 × 3 = 9.
Then multiply the fractions: 2/3 × 3/2 = 6/6 = 1.
So, the result is 9 + 1 = 10.
Using the division method, the answer would be 10.
Now let's use the model section method:
Draw a rectangle to represent the ribbon that is 3 2/3 yards long.
Then, divide that rectangle into sections that are 2/3 yard long.
Count the number of sections that fit into the entire ribbon.
You should find that there are 5 whole sections and an additional 1/3 of a section.
Therefore, the answer using the model section method is 5 1/3.
The discrepancy in your answers arises from the fact that there is a difference between dividing fractions and using models to represent division. While the division method gives you an answer of 10, the model section method gives you an answer of 5 1/3.
Hope this clears up your confusion! Let me know if you have any further questions.