What is 3 divided by 1/5?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking us to divide the number 3 by the fraction 1/5. To solve it, we will convert the division of a fraction into multiplication by its reciprocal, meaning we will multiply 3 by 5/1.
Answer
15
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is 15
Steps to Solve
- Convert the division into multiplication by the reciprocal of the fraction
To divide by a fraction, we can multiply by the reciprocal of that fraction. The reciprocal of $\frac{1}{5}$ is $\frac{5}{1}$.
- Rewrite the division as multiplication
Rewrite the problem $3 \div \frac{1}{5}$ as $3 \times \frac{5}{1}$.
- Multiply the numbers
Multiply the whole number by the numerator of the reciprocal fraction:
$$3 \times 5 = 15$$
The final answer is 15
More Information
Dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal. This is a useful technique for simplifying division problems involving fractions.
Tips
A common mistake is to incorrectly find or use the reciprocal. Ensure the reciprocal of $\frac{1}{5}$ is correctly identified as $\frac{5}{1}$, not $\frac{-5}{1}$ or some other incorrect value.
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