Dividing fractions calculator

Use this dividing fractions calculator to easily divide fractions. Dividing fractions can be very difficult, but this fraction calculator makes it a piece of cake. Fill in two fractions below (the numerator above the line and the denominator below the line) and click the "Calculate" button to divide the fractions.

Divide fractions calculator (with steps)

Work and steps of the calculation

You haven't divided any fractions yet. Enter two fractions above (the numerator above the fraction bar and the denominator below the fraction bar) and click the "calculate" button. The fraction calculator will divide the fractions, simplify the result and show a step-by-step explanation of the division.

Example dividing fractions

When dividing one fraction by another fraction, you reverse the numerator and denominator of the fraction you are dividing by (reciprocal). Multiply the numerators and denominators separately: Multiply the numerators (top numbers) together and the denominators (bottom numbers) together. In other words: multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second fraction. You then only have to simplify the new fraction that you get as a result (if necessary). This means finding the greatest common factor (GCF) of the numerator and denominator and dividing both by it.

We show an example of dividing two fractions:
4
9
÷
1
3
1
Reverse the numerator and denominator of the fraction you are dividing by.
Dividing fractions is multiplying the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second fraction, i.e. when dividing fractions you reverse the numerator and denominator of the second fraction (the fraction you are dividing by). After this you can multiply the fractions together:
4
9
÷
1
3
=
4
9
X
3
1
2
Multiply the numerators together and the denominators together.
When multiplying fractions, you can multiply the numerators as well as the denominators. The result is in fact the product of the numerators above the fraction line and the product of the denominators below the fraction line.
4
9
X
3
1
=
4 x 3
9 x 1
=
12
9
3
Simplify the result if possible.
To simplify a fraction, look for the greatest common factor of the numerator and the denominator. The greatest common factor of 12 and 9 is 3. We therefore divide the numerator and denominator by 3.
12 / 3
9 / 3
=
4
3
4
If the result fraction is improper, convert it into a mixed number.
An improper fraction is a fraction that has a larger numerator than denominator. To simplify an improper fraction as a mixed number (a number that combines a whole number and a fraction) you have to determine how many times the denominator fits the numerator. In this case the denominator (3) fits the numerator (4) 1 times. The leaves us with a remainder of 1. Therefore we can rewrite the fraction like this:
4
3
=
(1 x 3) + 1
3
=
1
1
3
5
In summary
4
9
÷
1
3
=
4
9
×
3
1
=
4 x 3
9 x 1
=
12
9
=
12 / 3
9 / 3
=
4
3
=
(1 x 3) + 1
3
=
1
1
3

How to divide fractions?

General steps and rules for dividing fractions:

  1. Reverse numerator and denominator of the fraction you are dividing by.
    Dividing fractions is multiplying the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second fraction. Therefore we reverse the numerator and denominator of the second fraction.
  2. Multiply the fractions.
    Multiply the numerators of the two fractions together as well as the denominators.
  3. Simplify the result fraction, if necessary
    Simplify the result as an irreducable fraction by dividing both numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor (GCF).

In mathematical terms:

a
b
÷
c
d
=
a
b
×
d
c
=
ad
bc

When using the dividing fractions calculator, it will show you the entire work and steps of the calculation.

Simplify fractions

Each fraction can be reduced to it’s simplest form, in which the numerator and denominator are as small as possible. Try this reduce fraction calculator to simplify your fraction and find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF).

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Long division calculator

A long division is a method for dividing multidigit numbers by hand. It breaks down the division of two numbers into a series of easier steps. From the makers of the fraction calculator:

Try our long division calculator