WOLFRAM

Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center

x/y or Divide[x,y]

is equivalent to x y^-1.

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Applications  
Properties & Relations  
Possible Issues  
Neat Examples  
See Also
Tech Notes
Related Guides
Related Links
History
Cite this Page

Divide

x/y or Divide[x,y]

is equivalent to x y^-1.

Details

Examples

open all close all

Basic Examples  (7)

Wolfram Language code: 77 / 11

Enter in 2D form using :

Wolfram Language code: (77/11)

Divide reduces fractions to lowest terms:

Wolfram Language code: 616 / 33

Force a numerical result by including a decimal point in the input:

Wolfram Language code: 616. / 33

/ is applied sequentially:

Wolfram Language code: a / b / c / d

is always converted to products and powers:

Wolfram Language code: FullForm[a ^ 2 / b ^ 3]

Enter ÷ using div:

Wolfram Language code: 20÷4

Scope  (1)

Divide threads element-wise over lists:

Wolfram Language code: {2, 3, 4, 5} / 3
Wolfram Language code: {x, y, z} / {a, b, c}

Applications  (2)

Wolfram Language code: FoldList[Divide, 1, Range[10]]

Successive ratios in a list:

Wolfram Language code: Divide@@@Partition[{a, b, c, d, e}, 2, 1]

Properties & Relations  (3)

Expand quotients:

Wolfram Language code: (x + y) / z
Wolfram Language code: Expand[%]

Cancel common factors in rational expressions:

Wolfram Language code: Cancel[(1 - x ^ 2) / (1 - x)]

Split into partial fractions:

Wolfram Language code: Apart[1 / (x ^ 2 - 1)]

Possible Issues  (2)

Wolfram Language code: 1 / 0
Wolfram Language code: 0 / 0
Wolfram Language code: 1 / Infinity

Pattern matching relies on FullForm:

Wolfram Language code: Replace[x ^ 2 / y ^ 3, a_ / b_ -> f[a, b]]
Wolfram Language code: FullForm[x ^ 2 / y ^ 3]
Wolfram Language code: Replace[x ^ 2 / y ^ 3, (a : (_ ^ _.))(b : (_ ^ _.)) -> f[a, b]]

Neat Examples  (2)

Wolfram Language code: NestList[1 / (1 + #)&, x, 5]

Array of possible fractions:

Wolfram Language code: Array[Divide, {4, 4}]

Integers that divide exactly:

Wolfram Language code: ListPlot[Position[Array[Divide, {20, 20}], _Integer]]
Wolfram Research (1988), Divide, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Divide.html (updated 1996).

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), Divide, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Divide.html (updated 1996).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "Divide." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 1996. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Divide.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). Divide. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Divide.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_divide, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Divide}", year="1996", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Divide.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_divide, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Divide}, year={1996}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Divide.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}