To multiply fractions and decimals, follow the steps below:
1. For multiplying fractions, multiply the numerators together to get the new numerator, and multiply the denominators together to get the new denominator. For example, to multiply 2/3 and 3/4, multiply 2 by 3 to get 6 as the new numerator and multiply 3 by 4 to get 12 as the new denominator. So, the product of 2/3 and 3/4 is 6/12.
2. Simplify the fraction if possible. To simplify a fraction, find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the numerator and denominator and divide them both by it. In the example, the GCD of 6 and 12 is 6. Dividing both the numerator and denominator by 6 gives you 1/2 as the simplified fraction.
3. For multiplying decimals, multiply the numbers as if they were whole numbers, ignoring the decimal point. Count the total number of decimal places in both numbers, and place the decimal point in the product so that it has the same number of decimal places. For example, to multiply 2.5 and 0.4, multiply 25 and 4 to get 100 as the product. Since there is a total of 2 decimal places (1 in 2.5 and 1 in 0.4), place the decimal point two places from the right in the product. The result is 1.00.
Remember to always simplify fractions if possible and properly place the decimal point in the product of decimals.
Math 7 A: Multiply Fractions & Decimals
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