Miss Zohoranacky's Class
Multiplying Mixed Fractions is Our New Everest
Mixed Fractions
First of all, the students all did great when we were adding and subtracting mixed fractions. It is a strange movement from using only fractions and improper fractions to using mixed fractions. The difficulty that students are having with mixed fractions is how to change them to improper fractions and vice versa.
Step 1
The denominator and the whole number get multiplied together. This is because 2 and 5/6 is saying that you have 6/6 twice and then 5/6 leftover. In order to help your children with this step encourage them to write (2 x 6)/6 in order to help them have a better understanding of what is going on.
Step 2
The way this picture shows the process, you need to remember your orders of operation! First, you would multiple the 2 and 6, talked about in Step 1. Second, you would add the numerator, 5. 5 is added to the product in order to see how many sixths you have.
Step 3
This shows the solution to the product of 2 and 6 along with 5 being added. In order to help with understanding, once again, encourage your child to write the information (2 x 6 +5)/6. A problem that some of the students are having is bringing the denominator back in after it seems to disappear from the problem.
Video of Mixed Fraction to Improper Fractions
Mixed numbers to improper fractions
Multiplying Fractions and Final Answer
All of the students are doing great at multiplying the fractions once they are in the improper form. Some students need more work on making their multiplication more of an automatic process, but all of them are able to have a full understanding of this process. Once the product is found, the improper fraction needs to be changed back into a mixed fraction. This will follow a similar process but in reverse. Instead of multiplying and subtracting, there will be subtraction and division.
Click here to go through a step-by-step procedure.
This site goes through the entire process for one problem. There are also quizzes at the bottom. E-mail me your results once you have finished the quiz. The quizzes do say that they are at a sixth grade level. Skip the ones with negatives.