What Is 1/2 ÷ 1/3?

1/2 ÷ 1/3 = 3/2, or 1 1/2 as a mixed number.

Result

Answer

\frac{1}{2} \div \frac{1}{3} = \textcolor{#0b5c56}{\frac{3}{2} = 1\frac{1}{2}}

The quotient is 3/2 in simplest form, or 1 1/2 as a mixed number.

  • Decimal: \displaystyle 1.5
  • Percent: 150%

1 whole + 1 of 2 equal parts

Step-by-step solution

The problem

\frac{1}{2} \div \frac{1}{3}
  1. Flip \displaystyle \frac{1}{3} and multiply. Dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal (the fraction turned upside down).

    \frac{1}{3} \;\rightarrow\; \frac{3}{1}
    = \textcolor{#0b5c56}{\frac{1}{2}} \times \textcolor{#0b5c56}{3}
  2. Multiply. A whole number is itself over 1. Top times top, bottom times bottom.

    = \frac{1 \times 3}{2 \times 1} = \textcolor{#0b5c56}{\frac{3}{2}}
  3. Check that it can't be simplified. 3 and 2 have no common factor other than 1, so this is the simplest form.

    \text{GCF}(3, 2) = 1
  4. Write it as a mixed number. Divide: 2 goes into 3 1 time with 1 left over. The whole number is 1, the remainder 1 becomes the numerator, and the denominator stays 2.

    3 \div 2 = 1\ \text{R}\ 1
    = \textcolor{#0b5c56}{1\frac{1}{2}}

All the working together

\begin{aligned} &\frac{1}{2} \div \frac{1}{3} \\[8pt] &= \frac{1}{2} \times 3 && \textcolor{#5b6660}{\textsf{flip}} \\[8pt] &= \frac{1 \times 3}{2 \times 1} && \textcolor{#5b6660}{\textsf{multiply}} \\[8pt] &= \frac{3}{2} \\[8pt] &= \textcolor{#0b5c56}{1\frac{1}{2}} && \textcolor{#5b6660}{\textsf{mixed number}}\end{aligned}

The answer in other forms

Simplest form3/2
Mixed number1 1/2
Decimal1.5
Percent150%
Same fractions1/2 + 1/3, 1/2 − 1/3, 1/2 × 1/3

1/2 divided by other fractions

Frequently asked questions

What is 1/2 ÷ 1/3?

1/2 ÷ 1/3 = 3/2 = 1 1/2 (1.5 as a decimal).

How do you divide 1/2 by 1/3?

Flip the second fraction (1/3 becomes 3/1) and multiply: 1/2 × 3/1.

Other fractions, mixed numbers or up to five terms: use the Fraction Calculator.