To multiply \( \frac{3}{8} \) by \( 12 \), we can rewrite \( 12 \) as a fraction:
\[ 12 = \frac{12}{1} \]
Now, we multiply the fractions:
\[ \frac{3}{8} \times \frac{12}{1} = \frac{3 \times 12}{8 \times 1} = \frac{36}{8} \]
Next, we simplify \( \frac{36}{8} \). Both the numerator and denominator can be divided by their greatest common divisor (GCD), which is \( 4 \):
\[ \frac{36 \div 4}{8 \div 4} = \frac{9}{2} \]
Now, we convert \( \frac{9}{2} \) to a mixed number.
To do so, we divide \( 9 \) by \( 2 \):
\[ 9 \div 2 = 4 \quad \text{(whole number)} \quad \text{remainder } 1 \]
Thus, \( \frac{9}{2} \) can be written as:
\[ 4 \frac{1}{2} \]
In conclusion, the answer in simplest form is \( \frac{9}{2} \) and as a mixed number, it is:
\[ 4 \frac{1}{2} \]
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