What part of 1/12 is 3/8?

Concept

The phrase "what part of A is B" asks how many times the reference quantity A fits into B. By definition this part (or fraction) equals B divided by A: part = B / A. Dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal.

Application

1. Identify the reference A = 1/12 (the quantity we measure against) and the target B = 3/8.

2. Set up the part as a division: part = B / A = (3/8) / (1/12).

3. Replace division by 1/12 with multiplication by its reciprocal 12/1: part = (3/8) × 12.

4. Multiply: (3 × 12) / 8 = 36 / 8.

5. Reduce 36/8 by dividing numerator and denominator by 4: 36/8 = 9/2.

Cross-check

Verify by multiplying the answer back by the reference: (9/2) × (1/12) = 9/24 = 3/8, which is exactly the target B. So 3/8 is 9/2 of 1/12.