What fraction of an inch did it rain on Thursday?

Question

on Wednesday it rained 1 1/2 inches and on Thursday it rained only 1/3 as much as it had on Wednesda. What fraction of an inch did it rain on Thursday?

Answer 1

The rain on Wed was 1.5 inches, or 3/2 inches. One third of that would be one half--either divide 1.5 by 3 and get 0.5 (which is one half inch), or multiply: (3/2)(1/3) -- the three in the denominator cancels the three in the numerator, giving ½".