12 divide by 4 and get the fraction
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
To divide 12 by 4 and express it as a fraction, we write it as:
[
\frac{12}{4}
]
Now, we can simplify this fraction. To do so, we need to find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the numerator (12) and the denominator (4). The GCD of 12 and 4 is 4. We divide both the numerator and the denominator by their GCD:
[
\frac{12 \div 4}{4 \div 4} = \frac{3}{1}
]
Thus, the simplified fraction is (\frac{3}{1}), which is equivalent to the whole number 3. This indicates that 12 divided by 4 equals 3.
Explanation of Division and Fractions
Division is one of the fundamental arithmetic operations, alongside addition, subtraction, and multiplication. When you divide one number by another, you’re essentially asking how many times the divisor can fit into the dividend. In this case, we want to find out how many times 4 can fit into 12.
Visually, you can think of dividing 12 objects into groups of 4. When you do this, you can create 3 complete groups of 4, which demonstrates that 12 divided by 4 equals 3.
When we express division as a fraction, we write the dividend (the number being divided) as the numerator (top part of the fraction) and the divisor (the number we are dividing by) as the denominator (bottom part of the fraction). Fractions represent parts of a whole, and they are a way to express division in a different form.
Simplifying fractions helps in understanding their values better. A fraction is simplified when there are no common factors left between the numerator and the denominator, except for 1. In this example, (\frac{12}{4}) simplifies to (\frac{3}{1}), which is also simply 3, emphasizing that division results in a whole number in this case. This demonstrates both the operation of division and the concept of fractions in a clear and practical way.