Sometimes, dividing fractions can be written in a confusing way. Consider one of the previous examples:
can also be written as a “double-decker,” or complex, fraction like this:
Do not be confused. You can rewrite this as the top fraction divided by the bottom fraction, and solve it normally (by using the reciprocal of the bottom fraction and then multiplying):
Here’s a speed tip for problems like this: notice that, quite often, you can quickly simplify by multiplying both the top fraction and the bottom fraction by a common denominator:
Evaluate the following complex fractions by multiplying the top and bottom fractions by a common denominator:
