Daniel cuts 1 1//2 pies into slices that are 1/8 of a whole pie to serve after dinner. Using your knowledge of dividing and reciprocals, how many slices did Daniel cut?

Answer 1

To solve this problem, we need to convert the mixed number 1 1/2 into an improper fraction.

To do this, we multiply the whole number (1) by the denominator of the fraction (2) and add the numerator (1). This gives us:

1 x 2 + 1 = 2 + 1 = 3

So 1 1/2 is equal to 3/2.

Now, we can divide 3/2 by 1/8 to determine how many slices Daniel cut.

When dividing fractions, we multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal (flipped version) of the second fraction.

3/2 ÷ 1/8 = 3/2 x 8/1

Multiplying the numerators gives us 3 x 8 = 24, and multiplying the denominators gives us 2 x 1 = 2.

So, 3/2 ÷ 1/8 is equal to 24/2, which simplifies to 12.

Therefore, Daniel cut 12 slices.