Show how to divide 21/4 candy bars so that 3 friends may share them equally. What fractional part of the candy bar will each friend receive?
To divide 21/4 candy bars equally among 3 friends, we can follow these steps:
Step 1: Convert the mixed number 21/4 to an improper fraction.
21/4 = (5 * 4 + 1) / 4 = 21/4
Step 2: Divide the total number of candy bars by the number of friends.
21/4 ÷ 3 = (21/4) / 3
Step 3: Multiply the reciprocal of the divisor (3) by the dividend (21/4).
(21/4) / 3 = (21/4) * (1/3)
Step 4: Simplify the resulting fraction, if possible.
(21/4) * (1/3) = (21 * 1) / (4 * 3) = 21/12
Step 5: Convert the fraction to a mixed number, if needed.
21/12 = (12 * 1 + 9) / 12 = 1 9/12
Step 6: Simplify the mixed number, if possible.
1 9/12 = 1 3/4
Therefore, each friend will receive 1 3/4 or 7/4 of a candy bar.