How do you simplify #1/8times3/4times7/5div7/10#?

2 Answers
Nov 12, 2016

#1/8*3/4*7/5divide7/10 #

Simplify from left to right:
#=3/32*7/5divide7/10#

#=21/160divide7/10#

Dividing is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal:
#=21/160*10/7#

#=3/16#

Nov 13, 2016

#3/16#

Explanation:

Change the division into the multiplication by the reciprocal.

Once everything is multiplication you can cancel any numerator with any denominator. If you cancel completely you will not need to simplify again in the last line.

Cancelling first means that the numbers remain small, rather than multiplying first.

#1/8 xx 3/4xx 7/5 xx 10/7#

#1/8 xx 3/4xx cancel7/cancel5 xx cancel10^2/cancel7#

#1/cancel8^4 xx 3/4xx 1/1 xx cancel2/1#

#=3/16#