What Does It Mean to Multiply Mixed Numbers by Fractions?
Mixed numbers are numbers that have both whole numbers and fractions, like 2½ or 3¾.
When we multiply a mixed number by a fraction, we're finding a part of that mixed number. It's like saying "I want half of 3¼ cups of flour" when baking!
How to Multiply Mixed Numbers by Fractions
1️⃣ Convert the mixed number to an improper fraction
2️⃣ Multiply the numerators (top numbers) and denominators (bottom numbers)
3️⃣ Simplify your answer (and convert back to mixed number if needed)
Let's Practice Together!
Example 1: Making Smoothies
You have 2⅓ cups of berries and want to use ½ of them for a smoothie. How many cups will you use?
Step 1: Convert 2⅓ to an improper fraction → 7⁄3
Step 2: Multiply by ½ → 7⁄3 × ½ = (7×1)⁄(3×2) = 7⁄6
Step 3: Simplify → 7⁄6 = 1⅙ cups
You'll use 1⅙ cups of berries for your smoothie!
Example 2: Pizza Party
At a party, there's 3½ pizzas left. If you eat ⅔ of what's remaining, how much pizza did you eat?
Step 1: Convert 3½ to an improper fraction → 7⁄2
Step 2: Multiply by ⅔ → 7⁄2 × ⅔ = (7×2)⁄(2×3) = 14⁄6
Step 3: Simplify → 14⁄6 = 7⁄3 = 2⅓ pizzas
You ate 2⅓ pizzas - that's a lot of pizza!
Parent Tips 🌟
- Kitchen Math: Use cooking measurements to practice - "If we need ½ of 1¾ cups of sugar, how much do we use?"
- Visual Help: Draw pizzas or rectangles divided into fractions to visualize the multiplication.
- Real-world Problems: Create word problems about sharing treats or dividing up chores to make practice fun and relevant.