Jason has 3 1/2 Candy bars. How many friends can he give 3/4 to? How much can he keep for himself?

Question

Jason has 3 1/2 candy bars. He wants to share the candy bar with his friends. He gives as many of his friends as possible 3/4 of a candy bar. He keeps the rest for himself. 

Part A: How many friends can he give 3/4 of a candy bar to? 

Part B: How much of the candy bar can Jason keep for himself?

Show work for each question and write answer in a complete sentence! 

 

Thank you!! 

Answer 1

Each friend get 3/4 of the candy bars to be fair.  So we divide 3 1/2 by 3/4.  This is will give us how many friends he can give 3/4 to.  The quotient is the number of friends.  The remainder, if any, is what he can keep for himself.

 

 

Before we divide, lets change the mixed number into fraction that is easier to work with.

 

3 1/2 = 3/2

 

 

(7 / 2) / (3 / 4)

 

 

When dividing by a fraction, we multiply by the reciprocal of the second fraction.

 

(7 / 2) * (4 / 3) = 2 * (7 / 3)

 

                        = 14 / 3

    

                        = 4  2/3

 

He can give 3/4 of this candy bars to 4 friends.  He can keep 2/3 for himself.