To divide mixed numbers, we need to convert them to improper fractions.
42 and 1/2 = (42 * 2 + 1) / 2 = 85/2
1 and 1/4 = (1 * 4 + 1) / 4 = 5/4
Now, we can divide the fractions:
(85/2) รท (5/4)
To divide fractions, we can multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second fraction:
(85/2) * (4/5)
Now, we can simplify:
(85 * 4) / (2 * 5) = 340/10
Now, simplify the fraction by dividing the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor, which is 10:
340/10 = 34/1
Therefore, the result is 34.