How do you simplify #2/5 div 10#?

1 Answer
Tony B
Jul 8, 2016

#1/25#

Explanation:

#2/5-:10#

In reality you would solve this in 1 or 2 lines using shortcuts. I am only going to do so in part so that I can demonstrate something called the property of being 'commutative'.

The short cut bit.

Write as:#" "2/5-:10/1#

Turn the #10/1# upside down and multiply.

#=>2/5xx1/10#

#=(2xx1)/(5xx10)#

Swap the 5 and 10 in the denominator round
(commutative#->5xx10" "=" "50" "=" "10xx5#)

#=(2xx1)/(10xx5)#

#=(cancel(2)^1)/(cancel(10)^5)xx1/5#

#=1/5xx1/5 = 1/25#

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