Joshua Gonzalez

Math 107
Delaby
Multiplying Fractions
When using the standard algorithm for multiplying fractions we can use an area model to show
how it works.
For example: If we take 3/4 X 2/5 we know that the product is 6/20 but we will use an area
model to show how the answer is found.

X =

This model represents 3/4 X 2/5 with the gray box representing the shaded area. The final
answer shows that we only have 6 squares colored out of 20 possible (6/20). The reason
this works is because we when we put the two fractions together the denominator
becomes 20. If we shade the two fifths going down, and the two thirds going across you
get a total of 6 shaded squares. The orange arrow shows the 2/5 of the shaded area. The
red arrow shows the 3/4 of the shaded area.