I don't understand this math problem(concerning midpoints), please help I'm desperate.?

Question

I have to find the midpoint of a segment using the midpoint formula.

The two endpoints I have been given are

(0, 1/4) and (-2/5, 0)

When I put this into the formula I come up with:

((-2/5)/2) and ((1/4)/2)

Please help me go from here. For some reason I always thought when you had a fraction and it was being divided by something then you had to flip the denominator and multiply. I am so confused and I haven't slept in forever so please excuse my stupidity.

Answer 1

Yeah you're right.

so it would be

(-2/10, 1/8)

I guess you could simplify -2/10 to -1/5

Answer 2

Midpoint formula:

[(X1 + X2) / 2] , [(Y1 +Y2)/2]

Given:

(0, 1/4) and (-2/5, 0)

where:

x1 = 0 ;    x2 = (-2/5)

y1 = 1/4 ; y2 = 0

subsitute to the formula:

[(0+ -2/5) / 2] , [(1/4 + 0) / 2]

(-2/5)/2 , (1/4)/2

just multiply the numerator to the reciprocal of the denominator

since:

2 = denominator

1/2 = reciprocal

(-2/5)(1/2) , (1/4)(1/2)

-1/5 , 1/2 ----> ans

Answer 3

(-1/5, 1/8)

dividing by 2 is the same as multiplying by 1/2.

Answer 4

You have the right formula (just average the x values, and then the y values by adding and dividing by 2).

Remember that dividing by 2 is the same as multiplying by 1/2.  That should help.

-2 ... 1 ... -2 ... -1

--- x --- = ---- = ----

5 .... 2 ... 10 ... 5

1 ... 1 ... 1

-- x --- = ---

4 ... 2 ... 8

Answer:

(-1/5, 1/8)