To convert the improper fraction 21/4 into a mixed number, you follow a couple of straightforward steps. A mixed number consists of a whole part and a fractional part, which is what you’ll determine here.
1. **Divide the Numerator by the Denominator:** First, divide the numerator (21) by the denominator (4). When you do this calculation, you find:
21 ÷ 4 = 5
The result, 5, indicates how many whole times the denominator fits into the numerator.
2. **Find the Remainder:** Next, you calculate the remainder of this division. We can do this by multiplying the whole number we just found by the denominator and then subtracting from the numerator:
21 - (4 × 5) = 21 - 20 = 1
So, the remainder is 1.
3. **Construct the Mixed Number:** Now, you can compose the mixed number. The whole part we found is 5, and the remainder becomes the numerator of the fractional part, while the denominator remains the same:
5 1/4
Thus, the improper fraction 21/4 is expressed as the mixed number 5 1/4.
In summary, the answer is: