Alex opened a 6 pound package of ground beef and stored it in small containers that each contained 23 of a pound. How many small containers did he use?

Answer 1

I'm going to assume that you meant this to say that the small containers hold 2/3 of a pound.

Imagine if the problem said you had 6 lbs and the small containers hold 3 pounds. Then, obviously, there would be 2 containers needed. Notice that 6/3 = 2. The same holds true if the small containers hold 1 lb. then obviously there would be 6 small containers needed. Likewise 6/1 = 6.

The same holds true in this case. 6/(2/3) will give us the number of containers. To divide fractions, it's sometimes better to think of both numbers as fractions. 6 is the same as 6/1. That gives us 6/1 ÷ 2/3. To divide fractions, keep the first number the same (6/1), switch the problem to multiplication, then flip the second fraction (so 2/3 becomes 3/2). So:

6/1 ÷ 2/3

6/1 • 3/2

To multiply fractions, multiply straight across. So 6•3 in the numerator and 1•2 in the denominator.

18/2 = 9

There would be 9 small containers needed.

Answer 2

6 ÷ 2/3 = 6 x 3/2 = 18/2 = 9 containers