Unit 4 : Multiply and Divide Fractions

Friendly Notes

Product of Fractions

When multiplying a fraction by another fraction, we multiply

the numerators and the denominators separately.

2 7
1. Multiply by .
3 10

Method 1:
1
2 7 2×7
× =
3 10 3 × 105
7
=
15

Method 2:
2 7 7
1 × =
3 105 15

3 1
2. of a class are girls. of the girls have long hair. What
4 6
fraction of the class are girls with long hair?
1 3 3
× =
6 4 24
1
=
8
1
of the class are girls with long hair.
8

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 Word Problems
1
A book has 250 pages. Melissa read of the book on Friday
5
1
and of the remaining pages on Saturday. How many pages
8
did she read on Saturday?
250

Method 1:
1 4
1− =
5 5

4
She had of the pages in the book left to read on Friday.
5

1
1 4 1
× =
2 8 5 10

1
She read of the pages in the book on Saturday.
10

1
× 250 = 25
10

Melissa read 25 pages on Saturday.

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 250

Method 2:
1 4
1− =
5 5

?
4
She had of the pages in the book left to read on Friday.
5

50
4
× 250 = 200
1
5

She had 200 pages left on Friday.

25
1
× 200 = 25
1
8

Melissa read 25 pages on Saturday.

Dividing a Fraction by a Whole Number

2
1. Divide by 4.
3
2
2 Divide 3 into 4 equal parts.
3 1 2
Each part is 4 of 3 .

2 2 1
÷ 4 = ×
3 3 4
2
2
3 =
12
1
=
6
1
4

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 3
2. 3 children shared of a pie equally. How much pie did each
5
of them get?

3 3 1
÷3= ×
5 5 3 Dividing by 3 is the same
3 1
= as multiplying by 3 .
15
1
=
5

1
Each of them got of the pie.
5

Dividing by a Fraction
1. Rita bought 4 pies. She cut each pie into fifths. How many
pieces of pie did she have?

There are 5 fifths

in 1 whole.
There are 20
fifths in 4 wholes.

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 1 1
4 ÷ = 4 × 5 Dividing by 5 is the same
5
as multiplying by 5.
= 20

1
5 is the reciprocal of 5 .

Rita had 20 pieces of pie.

2
2. Divide 5 by .
5

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

2 5 Dividing by 2
5
is the same
5÷ =5× 5
5 2 as multiplying by 2 .
25
=
2
1
= 12 
2

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 1 1
3. Divide by .
4 8
1
Divide 4 into eighths.
1 1
4 There are 2 eighths in 4 .
1
8 is the reciprocal of 8 .

1
8

1 1 1
÷ = × 8 1
4 8 4 Dividing by 8 is the
8
= same as multiplying by 8.
4

= 2

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