IXL | Divide fractions: word problems

Kathleen feeds each of her dogs 1/4 of a can of food each day. She uses a total of 1/2 of a can of food each day. How many dogs does Kathleen have?

Simplify your answer and write it as a fraction or as a whole or mixed number.

dogs

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Learn with an example

question

Clarence's bird feeder holds 1/4 of a cup of birdseed. Clarence is filling the bird feeder with a scoop that holds 1/8 of a cup. How many scoops of birdseed will Clarence put into the feeder?

Simplify your answer and write it as a fraction or as a whole or mixed number.

scoops

key idea

Multiply by the reciprocal of the divisor.

solution

Divide the total amount of birdseed by the size of each scoop.

Turn this from a division problem into a multiplication problem by multiplying by the reciprocal.

Cancel common factors, then multiply.

1 × 2

1 × 1

Simplify the answer.

Clarence will put 2 scoops of birdseed into the feeder.

Looking for more? Try these:

Lesson: Dividing fractions and mixed numbers

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Divide fractions

Lesson: Dividing fractions and mixed numbers

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