Multiplying and Dividing

Fractions
Can you name the parts of
a fraction?

?
numerator
3
? 4
denominator
What sort of fractions / numbers are
these:

7
?
proper fraction

8
?
mixed number 3
2
8

?
improper fraction
9
7
Multiplying Fractions

2 3 2×3 6 1
×
3 4
= 3×4 = 12 = 2

1. Multiply the numerators.

2. Multiply the denominators.
3. Cancel down.
2 3 6 3 1 2 2 1
× = 20=10 × = 30=15
5 4 6 5

1 1 1 5 2 10 1
× = × = 60=6
4 2 8 12 5

3 4 12 3 5 2 10
× = = × =
4 5 20 5 9 3 27

4 2 8 3 4 12 1
× = × = 72=6
7 5 35 8 9
Multiplying mixed numbers.

2 1 12 1 6 1
2
12
× = 5
×
2
= =
10
= 1
5 2 5 5

1. Change the mixed number to an improper

fraction.
2. Multiply as before.
3. Cancel down and change to mixed number
if necessary.
 1 2 5 2 10 5
1 × = × = =
4 7 4 7 28 14

1 1 7 1 7 1
2 × =3 × = = 1
3 2 2 6 6

3 4 3 9 27 7
× 1 =4 × = = 1
4 5 5 20 20

4 2 11 7 77 11 1
1 × 1 = 7 × = = =2
7 5 5 35 5 5
Multiplying fractions and whole numbers

5 12 5 60
12 × = × = = 10
6 1 6 6

1. Whole numbers have a denominator

of 1.
2. Multiply numerators and
denominators.
3. Cancel down and change to a mixed
number if necessary.
3 3 6 18 1
×6= × = =4
4 4 1 4 2
7 7 12 84 1
× 12 = × = = 10
8 8 1 8 2

3 5 3 15 1
5× =1 ×
10
=
10
= 1
2
10

5 5 4 20 6
7
×4= × = = 2
7 1 7 7

2 7 2 14 4
7× = 1
× =
5 5
= 2
5
5
Cancelling down.

It is often easier to cancel down before you multiply.

When you are multiplying fractions, any
numerator can be cancelled against any denominator.
After multiplication

5 16 80 2
× = =
8 25 200 5

Before multiplication
1 2
5 16 2
× =5
8 25 5
1
 Cancelling after multiplication

7 16 112 4
× = =
12 49 588 21

Cancelling before multiplication

1 4
7 16 4
× = 21
12 49
3 7

Which is easier?
Multiplying always makes things
bigger:

2x3=6

6 is bigger than both 2 and 3

Is he
correct?
If you multiply a number by 1,
it does not increase or decrease.

3x1=3

If you multiply a number by 0, you get 0

3x0=0

If you multiply a number larger than 1 by a

proper fraction, the product is less than the
original number.

1
4x = 2 (2 < 4)
2
If you multiply two proper fractions together,
the product is less than either of them:

3 1 3
× =
4 2 8

of means ×

1 3 3 3 1 3
of = of =
2 4 8 4 2 8

= =
Dividing Fractions
3 1 3 31 9 1
÷ = ÷
× = =2
4 3 4 13 4 4

1. Turn the dividing fraction upside down

and change ÷ to ×.
2. Multiply numerators and denominators.
3. If necessary cancel down and change to
a mixed number.
2 1 2 4 8 3
÷ = ÷
×
1
= =1
5 4 5 1
4 5 5
3 2 3 25 15 1
÷ = ÷
× = =1
7 5 7 52 14 14
3 1 3 8
1 24
÷ = ÷
× = =6
4 8 4 1
8 4

5 1 5 × 3
1 15 1
÷ = ÷ = =2
6 3 6 1
3 6 2

4 1
2 8
4
÷
1
= ÷
× =
9 2 9 2
1 9
Dividing mixed numbers.

2 1 12 1 4
2
12 2 24
÷ = ÷ = × = =4
5 2 5 2 5 1 5 5

1. Change the mixed number to an improper

fraction.
2. Divide as before.
3. Cancel down and change to a mixed
number if necessary.
 4 1 9 1 9 3 27 2
1 ÷ = ÷ = × = = 5
5 3 5 3 5 1 5 5
1 7 7 7 7 9 63
2 ÷ = ÷ = × = = 3
3 9 3 9 3 7 21
1 3 7 3 7 8 56 1
3 ÷ = ÷ = × = = 9
2 8 2 8 2 3 6 3

2 1 11 7 11 6 66 1
3 ÷ 1 = 3
÷
6
= ×
3 7
=
21
= 3
7
3 6

9 1 9 6 9 5 45 3
÷ 1 = ÷ = × = =
10 5 10 5 10 6 60 4
Dividing fractions and whole numbers

3 8 5 3 40 1
8÷ = 1÷
× 35 = = 13
3
5 3

1. Whole numbers have a denominator

of 1.
2. Turn dividing fraction upside down
and multiply numerators and
denominators.
3. Cancel down and change to a mixed
number if necessary.
 2 6 2 6 3 18
6÷ = 1
÷ =
3 1
×
2
=
2
=9
3

2 4 2 4 5 20
4÷ = 1
÷ =
5 1
×
2
=
2
= 10
5

5 7 5 7 6 42 2
7÷ = 1
÷ =
6 1
×
5
=
5
= 8
5
6

6 5 6 5 7 35 5
5÷ = 1
÷ =
7 1
×
6
=
6
= 5
6
7

7 8 7 8 9 72 2
8÷ = 1
÷ =
9 1
×
7
=
7
= 10
7
9

3 3 6 3 1 3 1
÷6 = 4
÷ =
1 4
×
6
=
24
=
8
4
Division always makes things
smaller. If I divide up a rich,
tasty chocolate cake, I always
get a smaller piece than the
whole cake.

12 ÷ 4=3

3 is less than 12

Is she
correct?
If you divide a number by 1,
it does not increase or decrease.

3÷1=3

If you divide 1, or a number larger than 1,

by a proper fraction, the answer is greater
than the original number.

1
4÷ = 8 (8 > 4)
2
If you divide a larger fraction by a smaller
one, the answer will be more than 1.

3 1
÷ =6
4 8

÷ =6

1 3
How many are there in ? 6
8 4
The end