You know that multiplication is the same as repeated addition:
3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 is the same as 3 x 5
It works the same with fractions:
5 x 1/2 means we need 5 groups of 1/2, which is the same as adding 1/2 five times.
To multiply a whole number by a fraction, multiply the whole number by the numerator of the fraction. The denominator stays the same.
The new result is a fraction with a numerator that is the product of the whole number and the fraction's numerator, the denominator is the fraction's original denominator, which in this case is 2.
1. Multiply the top numbers (the numerators).
2. Multiply the bottom numbers (the denominators).
3. Simplify the fraction if needed.
1/2 × 2/5
Step 1. Multiply the top numbers:
1/2 × 2/5 = 1 × 2 = 2
Step 2. Multiply the bottom numbers:
1/2 × 2/5 = 1 × 2/2 × 5 = 2/10
Step 3. Simplify the fraction:
2/10 = 1/5