Question

The hiking trail is `7 1/3` miles long. There are `6` markers posted evenly along the trail to direct hikers. How far apart are the markers placed?

Answer 1

`1 1/3` miles apart.

Explanation:

The trail is `7 1/3` miles long, and there are `6` markers on the trail.

In order to solve this, you have to divide `7 1/3` by `6`. To do this, you must first change `7 1/3` into an improper fraction of `22/3`. You find this by multiplying the whole number, `7`, by the denominator, `3`, and then adding the numerator, `1`.

After you change the fraction, you take `22/3` and divide it by `6`.

`22/3 div 6`

To do this, you must first change `6` into a fraction. You can change any whole number into a fraction by putting it over `1`, in this case, like this: `6/1`.

When dividing fractions, you must always flip the second number, so the problem would be

`22/3xx1/6`.

This gives you `22/18` because you simply multiply across the top and across the bottom.

Now, you take it down to simplest form and get `1 6/18` and then to `1 1/3`.