Multiplying Fractions

Show your work for each problem.

1.
What is ?
1. a)
2. b)
3. c)
4. d)
Answer:
. The other options come from adding (not multiplying) or not simplifying correctly.
2.
Calculate and write your answer as a simplified fraction.
Answer: 1/2
. You can also cross-cancel: .
3.
Calculate
Answer: 6/35
1. Multiply the numerators: 6
2. Multiply the denominators: 35
3. Write the result as a fraction: 6/35
4.
What does of mean?
1. a)
2. b)
3. c)
4. d)
Answer:
In math, 'of' means multiplication. So ' of ' translates to '', which equals .
5.
A recipe calls for cup of milk. If you make half the recipe, how much milk do you need?
Answer: 3/8
1. What fraction represents 'half'? 1/2
2. Set up the multiplication: . What is the numerator? 3
3. What is the denominator? 8
4. Write the final answer: 3/8
6.
Calculate and simplify your answer.
Answer: 1/6
Cross-cancel: . Divide 4 and 8 by 4: . Divide 3 and 9 by 3: .
7.
When you multiply two proper fractions (both less than 1), the product is:
1. a)Always between the two fractions
2. b)Always equal to 1
3. c)Always smaller than both fractions
4. d)Always larger than both fractions
Answer: Always smaller than both fractions
When you multiply two proper fractions, you're finding a fraction of a fraction, which is always smaller. Example: , which is smaller than both s.
8.
Calculate using cross-canceling.
Answer: 3/4
1. What common factor do 5 (numerator) and 10 (denominator) share? 5
2. After canceling, 5 becomes 1 and 10 becomes: 2
3. What common factor do 6 (denominator) and 9 (numerator) share? 3
4. After canceling, we have . What is the final answer? 3/4
9.
Calculate . Write your answer as a mixed number.
Answer: 1 3/5
. We get 8 fifths, which is 1 whole (5 fifths) plus 3 fifths.
10.
A rectangle has length meter and width meter. What is its area?
Answer: 1/2
1. What formula gives the area of a rectangle? length times width
2. Set up the multiplication: . Can we cross-cancel 3 with 3? yes
3. After canceling, what multiplication remains? 1/4 * 2/1
4. What is the area in square meters? 1/2
11.
Which expression equals ?
1. a)
2. b)
3. c)
4. d)
Answer:
: The 5s cancel, the 3s cancel. Left with .
12.
Calculate and simplify completely.
Answer: 2/9
: Cancel 7 with 21 (both divide by 7) to get . Cancel 8 with 12 (both divide by 4) to get .
13.
Sarah has of a pizza. She eats of what she has. What fraction of the whole pizza did she eat?
Answer: 1/2
1. What does 'of' tell us to do in this problem? multiply
2. Set up the calculation: . What common factor can we cancel? 3
3. After canceling the 3s, what do we multiply? 2/1 * 1/4
4. What fraction of the whole pizza did Sarah eat? 1/2
14.
A store discounts items by . If you have a coupon for off the sale price, what fraction of the original price do you save in total?
Answer: 1/2
Store discount: . Sale price: . Coupon saves: . Total savings: .
15.
Calculate and express your answer as a mixed number in simplest form.
Answer: 3 3/4
1. Write 6 as a fraction: 6/1
2. Can we cross-cancel 6 and 8? What's their common factor? 2
3. After canceling, we have . Multiply to get: 15/4
4. Convert to a mixed number: 3 3/4