my paper says to divide two fractions by 1/2 to find out which one is biger, I forgot exactly how to do that, could you remind me?
Sure! To divide fractions by 1/2, you need to multiply the fraction by its reciprocal. The reciprocal of 1/2 is 2/1, sometimes written as just 2.
Here's how you can do it:
1. Write down the first fraction you want to compare.
2. Write down 1/2 as a fraction.
3. Find the reciprocal of 1/2, which is 2/1.
4. Multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of 1/2. To do this, multiply the numerators (top numbers) together, and multiply the denominators (bottom numbers) together.
5. Simplify the resulting fraction if possible.
6. Repeat the steps for the second fraction you want to compare.
Let me give you an example:
Let's say you want to compare the fractions 3/4 and 2/5 by dividing them by 1/2.
1. First fraction: 3/4
2. 1/2 as a fraction: 1/2
3. Reciprocal of 1/2: 2/1 or 2
4. Multiply 3/4 by 2: (3/4) x (2/1) = (3x2)/(4x1) = 6/4
5. Simplify 6/4: Divide both numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor, which is 2. So, 6/4 becomes 3/2.
So, when comparing 3/4 and 2/5 by dividing them by 1/2, we get 3/2 for 3/4, and you can repeat the steps for 2/5 to determine which fraction is bigger.
Remember, when comparing fractions, the larger fraction will have a greater value when simplified or converted to a decimal.