When dividing fractions, what is the correct method to use?

When dividing fractions, the appropriate method is to invert the second fraction and then multiply. This process is often referred to as "multiplying by the reciprocal."

To see why this works, consider a division of two fractions, such as ( \frac{a}{b} \div \frac{c}{d} ). To divide these fractions, you would rewrite the equation as ( \frac{a}{b} \times \frac{d}{c} ). By flipping the second fraction (changing ( \frac{c}{d} ) to ( \frac{d}{c} )), you enable the multiplication of the numerators together and the denominators together.

This method ensures that the division can be simplified, which typically results in a more straightforward calculation. It relies on the fact that dividing by a number is equivalent to multiplying by its reciprocal. Thus, the correct method for dividing fractions is indeed to invert the second fraction and multiply.