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Divide two fractions
On the default, 3/4 ÷ 1/2: keep 3/4, flip 1/2 to 2/1, multiply to 6/4, simplify to 1 1/2. Enter your own fractions below.
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Divide Fractions Calculator
Divide any two fractions and watch the keep-change-flip method work step by step: keep the first fraction, change ÷ to ×, flip the second — then simplify. 3/4 ÷ 1/2 becomes 1 1/2 before your eyes.
How dividing fractions works: keep, change, flip
Dividing fractions feels mysterious until you learn the three-word recipe every math class teaches: KEEP the first fraction exactly as it is, CHANGE the division sign to multiplication, FLIP the second fraction (use its reciprocal). Then multiply straight across and simplify. That is the entire method — the calculator above shows all three steps, so you can copy the working into your homework.
Output · formula · meaning
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Answer | first × reciprocal of second, simplified | 3/4 ÷ 1/2 → 3/4 × 2/1 = 6/4 = 1 1/2. |
| Reciprocal of the divisor | swap its top and bottom | 1/2 flips to 2/1 — flip only the second fraction, never the first. |
| GCD used | Euclid’s algorithm on the product | 2 for 6 and 4 — dividing both by it gives 3/2. |
| Decimal & percent | answer as a decimal, × 100 | 1 1/2 = 1.5 = 150% — for comparing with non-fraction answers. |
Worked example: 3/4 ÷ 1/2
Keep: 3/4 stays 3/4. Change: ÷ becomes ×. Flip: 1/2 becomes 2/1. Now multiply straight across: 3 × 2 = 6 on top, 4 × 1 = 4 on the bottom → 6/4. Simplify with the GCD of 6 and 4, which is 2: 6 ÷ 2 = 3, 4 ÷ 2 = 2 → 3/2, and 3/2 is one and a half → 1 1/2. The pizza-slice intuition: three quarters of a pizza contains exactly one and a half half-slices.
Why flipping works (the part school skips)
Flipping is not a trick — it is the definition of division. Dividing by a number is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal: a ÷ b = a × 1/b. When b is the fraction 1/2, its reciprocal 1/(1/2) is 2/1, which is just 2. So 3/4 ÷ 1/2 really asks “how many halves fit inside three quarters?” — and multiplying by 2 counts them. The flip converts an awkward division into an easy multiplication without changing the answer.
Who uses this
- Students: fraction-division homework and tests, with the steps shown for copying into your work.
- Cooks: scaling recipes down: 3/4 cup ÷ 2 = 3/8 cup when a recipe is too big.
- Carpenters & sewists: dividing fractional measurements — splitting a 5/8-inch allowance, spacing pickets evenly.
- Teachers & tutors: demonstrating keep-change-flip with the reciprocal and GCD visible at every step.
Accuracy & limitations
Division uses exact integer math — the answer is computed from the numbers you type, never from floating-point approximations. Inputs must be whole numbers; the second fraction cannot be zero (zero has no reciprocal, so the division is undefined). Mixed numbers are not accepted as input — convert them to improper fractions first (1 1/2 = 3/2), as the FAQ below shows.
Simplifying after you divide? The fraction simplifier reduces any result to lowest terms. Going the other direction, the fraction to decimal chart turns answers like 3/2 into 1.5.
Cite this calculatorBright Side Kit. “Divide Fractions Calculator.” brightoolbox.com, 2026.
Bright Side Kit. "Divide Fractions Calculator." https://brightoolbox.com/divide-fractions-calculator/ Accessed October 22, 2026.Frequently asked questions
How do you divide fractions?
Keep, change, flip. Keep the first fraction as it is, change ÷ to ×, flip the second fraction (its reciprocal), then multiply straight across and simplify. 3/4 ÷ 1/2 → 3/4 × 2/1 = 6/4 = 1 1/2.
Why do you flip the second fraction?
Because dividing by a number is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal: a ÷ b = a × 1/b. The reciprocal of 1/2 is 2/1, so 3/4 ÷ 1/2 becomes the much easier 3/4 × 2/1. The flip is the definition of division, not a trick.
Does it matter which fraction you flip?
Yes — only the second fraction (the divisor) gets flipped. The first fraction must stay exactly as it is. Flipping the first one instead gives a completely different — and wrong — answer.
How do you divide a fraction by a whole number?
Write the whole number as a fraction over 1, then keep-change-flip. 1/2 ÷ 5 becomes 1/2 ÷ 5/1 → 1/2 × 1/5 = 1/10.
How do you divide mixed numbers?
Convert to improper fractions first. 1 1/2 ÷ 2/3 becomes 3/2 ÷ 2/3 → 3/2 × 3/2 = 9/4 = 2 1/4. Never keep-change-flip a mixed number directly.
What is 3/4 divided by 1/2?
1 1/2. Flip 1/2 to 2/1 and multiply: 3/4 × 2/1 = 6/4, simplify by the GCD of 2 → 3/2 = 1 1/2. Intuition check: three quarters holds one and a half halves.
Can you divide fractions with the same denominator?
Yes — and there is a shortcut: just divide the numerators. 5/6 ÷ 1/6 = 5 ÷ 1 = 5. (Keep-change-flip gives the same answer: 5/6 × 6/1 = 30/6 = 5.)
Do you simplify the answer after dividing?
Yes — always finish in lowest terms. After multiplying, find the GCD of the new top and bottom and divide both by it. The fraction simplifier does this step on its own if you want to double-check.