To multiply fractions multiply the numerators and then multiply the denominators.
Example 4 x
3 = 12 try this
problem 2 x 4 =
answer
7 5 35
7 9
Sometimes we get answers that can be reduced. For example 2
x 3 = 6
5 4
20
6 can be reduced by dividing the numerator
6 by 2 and dividing the denominator
20 by the same number 2. The answer is reduced
from 6 = 3
20 10
When reducing it is important to remember that you must divide the numerator
and
denominator by the same number.
When multiplying fractions it is better to reduce (or cancel) before you multiply.
For example 6 x 3
can be reduced by dividing the 6 and 8 by 2. So the problem
7 8 is changed from
6 x 3 to 3
x 3 = 9
7 8
7 4 28
When using this process you must remember to divide a numerator
and a denominator
by the same number.
Multiplying mixed numbers. Mixed numbers are numbers such as
3 4/5, 6 7/8.
They contain a whole number and a fraction. When we multiply mixed
numbers
we change them to improper fraction (a fraction whose numerator is
larger than
the denominator)
Example 2 3/4 x 4 2/3 will be change
to 11/4 x 14/3. This is done by
multiplying the whole number by the denominator and adding the
numerator. So 2 3/4 x 4 2/3 becomes 11/4
x 14/3 = 154/12
We change this to a mixed number by dividing 154 by 12 which
equals 12 and a remainder of 10 which becomes the new numerator.
So the answer is 12 10/12 which when we divide the numerator and
denominator by 2 reduces to 12 5/6. Could
we have
canceled before multiplying?
Try this example 2 1/3 x 3 2/5 answer