Understanding Fraction Divisions: A Guide for Nursing Entrance Exam Prep

Ready to tackle the math you'll encounter on the Kaplan Nursing Entrance Exam? You might be focusing on anatomy or pharmacology, but don’t underestimate the power of a solid grasp of fundamental math skills, especially when it comes to fractions. You know what? Dividing fractions might just be the secret weapon you didn’t know you needed.

Let’s break it down together. Say you come across a problem like dividing 12/17 by 6/7 during your studies. How do you even begin? Well, here’s the scoop: instead of thinking of it as division, you can flip the second fraction and multiply. So, take the reciprocal of 6/7—which means you flip it to get 7/6.

Now your problem is transformed into a multiplication problem: (12/17) * (7/6). Pretty cool, right?

Once you’ve made that switch, we multiply the numerators (the top numbers) and the denominators (the bottom numbers) separately:

Numerator: 12 * 7 = 84
Denominator: 17 * 6 = 102

This gives you a new fraction: 84/102.

But hold up! Now it's time to simplify that fraction to make it easier to work with. The greatest common divisor (GCD) of 84 and 102 is 6. When you divide both the top and bottom of your fraction by 6, you get:

14 in the numerator and 17 in the denominator, meaning your final answer after all that hard work is 14/17. Can you feel the math magic happening?

Now, let’s talk about why this matters for nursing school. Sure, you’re here to save lives and care for patients, but understanding these mathematical concepts can ensure you properly administer medications, calculate dosages, and manage patient care with precision. Accurate calculations can often mean the difference between effective treatment or potential harm, so grasping fractions isn’t just academic jargon; it’s literally a matter of life and death.

Plus, practicing problems like this one gives you a chance to build confidence—something every aspiring nurse needs. Each correct answer acts as a small victory, inching you closer to your goal of acing that entrance exam and stepping into the world of nursing.

Incorporating this kind of math practice into your daily routine can be an effective strategy as you prep for the Kaplan Nursing Entrance Exam. It’s not just about memorizing formulas but understanding the concepts that lie beneath them. Over time, you’ll find that breaking fractions down into more manageable pieces makes them far less intimidating.

So the next time you encounter a division problem involving fractions, remember to flip that second fraction and multiply. This approach is not just a trick; it's a method that will serve you well in various aspects of your nursing education and career. Happy studying, future nurses!