Question

How do you simplify `2/5 div 10`?

Answer 1

`1/25`

Explanation:

`2/5-:10`

In reality you would solve this in 1 or 2 lines using shortcuts. I am only going to do so in part so that I can demonstrate something called the property of being 'commutative'.

The short cut bit.

Write as:`" "2/5-:10/1`

Turn the `10/1` upside down and multiply.

`=>2/5xx1/10`

`=(2xx1)/(5xx10)`

Swap the 5 and 10 in the denominator round
(commutative`->5xx10" "=" "50" "=" "10xx5`)

`=(2xx1)/(10xx5)`

`=(cancel(2)^1)/(cancel(10)^5)xx1/5`

`=1/5xx1/5 = 1/25`