Arithmetic Grade Five

Lesson One Hundred and Five: Multiplying Fractions

Not all fraction multiplication problem can be reduced in any way. Here's an example: 


	 3	  2	
	---   *  --- =
	 5	  7

	There's just no way to reduce this problem.
	When we multiply 3/5 * 2/7 we get 6/35.
Of course, there's often at least one opportunity for reducing of some sort. 

	 3	 15
	---  *  ---- =
	 25	 17

	Here the only way of reducing is with the 15 and the 25.
	Since both are divisible by 5 we can change the problem
	like this:

	 3	 3	
	---  *  --- =
	 5	 17

	3/5 * 3/17 = 9/85.

Now you get to try a few for yourself.

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