Complex fractions
A fraction whose top or bottom is a fraction: share a fraction on a bar, count fractions inside fractions, and divide by flipping the lower fraction.
- Germany: grade 6
- Afghanistan: grade 5
Guide
A complex fraction (fraction of fractions) has a fraction in its numerator or its denominator, for example 122 or 2316. The long fraction bar means divide: the top is divided by the bottom.
122 is half of a half. On a bar, take the striped half and share it between 2: one share is one quarter of the whole bar. So 122 = 14.
When the bottom is a fraction, flip it and multiply: 2345 = 23 × 54. Dividing by 16 asks "how many sixths fit in it?", which is the same as multiplying by 6.