# ISEE Upper Level Math : How to divide variables

## Example Questions

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### Example Question #1 : How To Divide Variables

Explanation:

Never divide fractions!  Simply flip the fraction that follows the division symbol, and then multiply it by the first fraction.  So this expression becomes:

Divide:

Explanation:

Simplify:

Explanation:

If , divide:

Explanation:

### Example Question #1 : How To Divide Variables

Divide:

Explanation:

In this division problem, you can simplify first the coefficients, then the variables.

Each of the coefficients in the numerator is divisible by the coefficient in the denominator, allowing you to divide out and cancel the 4 in the denominator:

Finally, you can simplify the varaibles. Remember that when simplifying variables in a fraction (division problem), you subtract the numerator variable's exponent by the denominator variable's exponent. You can do this with each term in this problem, because each term in the numerator has at least a :

### Example Question #28 : Operations

Divide:

Explanation:

In this division problem, you can simplify first the coefficients, then the variables.

Each of the coefficients in the numerator is divisible by the coefficient in the denominator, allowing you to divide out and cancel the 7 in the denominator:

Finally, you can simplify the varaibles. Remember that when simplifying variables in a fraction (division problem), you subtract the numerator variable's exponent by the denominator variable's exponent.

You can only do this with the first two terms in the numerator, since the final term does not have a variable. Instead, the final term will keep  in the denominator:

Divide:

Explanation:

### Example Question #30 : Operations

Which of the following is a factor of ?

Explanation:

The first step to solving this question is to reduce

The only number listed that is a factor of 36 is 18, given that 2 times 18 is 36. Therefore, 18 is the correct answer.

### Example Question #1 : How To Divide Variables

Divide:

The expression cannot be simplified further.

Explanation:

To divide this problem we simplify it first. In this problem we can separate the big fraction into three smaller fractions.

Then from here, we can pull out a  from both the numerator and denominator of each smaller fraction.

Now we cancel terms and get the following result:

### Example Question #1 : How To Divide Variables

Simplify:

Explanation:

To simplify this problem we first separate the large fraction into three smaller fractions.

From here we can factor out  from the numerator and denominator of the first two fractions.

The  can be canceled out in the first two fractions. From here we can factor out a  from the numerator and denominator of the third fraction.

Thus becoming:

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