Multiplying a Fraction by a Fraction
To multiply two fractions, just multiply the numerators to get the numerator of the product, and multiply the denominators to get the denominator of the product.
For example:
You can visualize this by starting with a drawing of , then finding of that quantity. Divide the piece into 7 pieces of equal size. Then shade 5 of them.
Note that, even if the two fractions you're multiplying are both in simplest form , the result may not be:
This answer is correct, but it's better if you reduce the fraction (write it in simplest form). Factor out a 2 from both the numerator and denominator, and then cancel the common factor.
Note: If you're careful, you can speed up this process by reducing first , before multiplying.