Fractions-Multiply by a

Whole Number or Fraction

Teacher Guidelines ▶ pages 1 – 2

Instructional Pages ▶ pages 3 – 4
Activity Page ▶ pages 5 - 6
Practice Page ▶ page 7
Grade Level: 5

Homework Page
Answer Key
▶
▶
page 8
page 9 - 10
 Classroom Procedure: Approximate Grade Level: 5
1. Ask students to give examples of multiplication problems. Objectives:
Display some of the problems with the products.
The students will be able to multiply a
2. Use the same factors but turn them into fractions’ numerators fraction by a whole number or fraction.
and denominators. Ask students how multiplication
Common Core State Standards:
of fractions is different than the multiplication of whole
numbers. How? CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.B.4
3. Allow for responses and discussion. Introduce Fractions- Class Sessions (45 minutes):
Multiply by a Whole Number or Fraction to the class.
1 or 2 class sessions.
4. Distribute Fractions-Multiply by a Whole Number or Fraction
Teaching Materials/Worksheets:
content page. Read and review the information with the
students. Save the final question for the lesson closing. Fractions-Multiply by a Whole Number
Use the additional resources to enhance understanding. or Fraction content pages (2), Activity
pages (2), Practice page, Homework
5. Distribute Activity pages. Read and review the instructions.
page
Pair students and allow sufficient time for students to create
some fraction multiplication problems. They may include Student Supplies:
three factors as well.
Scissors, handouts
6. Once completed, the students meet with another pair of
students and they correct each other’s work. Prepare Ahead of Time:

7. Distribute Practice page. Check and review the students’ Pair students for activity, scissors.
responses. Copy handouts.

8. Distribute the Homework page. Review the word “of” as a Options for Lesson:
keyword for multiplication. The next day, check and review Students may work alone or in groups
the students’ responses. for the activity. Students create a
9. In closing, ask students: What is your favorite fraction? different amount of problems for the
Why? Multiply your favorite fraction by 2/3. What is the activity. Conduct a “Fraction” Bee where
product? two teams of students do mental math
to find the products of two fractions.
10. Allow students to share their favorite fraction. Tell students Students create word problems for
many people have favorite numbers but may not have a other students to complete as a quiz
favorite fraction. Students multiply it by two-thirds and or in-class assignment.
share the product by using mental math.

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 Teacher Notes
The lesson reviews whole number multiplication of fractions and introduces the multiplication of a fraction
with a fraction. Many students who are skilled with multiplication basics should find this lesson very easy.
The students must also reduce the products of the fractions when necessary. The lesson may be used in
conjunction with other lessons related to multiplication.
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Additional Resources:
Content:
http://www.math.com/school/subject1/lessons/S1U4L4GL.html
https://www.mathsisfun.com/fractions_multiplication.html
https://www.mathplayground.com/fractions_mult.html (Interactive)
Worksheets:
http://www.math-aids.com/Fractions/Multiplying_Fractions.html (create your own)
https://www.k5learning.com/free-math-worksheets/fifth-grade-5/fractions-multiplication-division
https://www.dadsworksheets.com/worksheets/fraction-multiplication.html
Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU3R2JE5c_U (2:30 min)
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/fraction-arithmetic/arith-review-multiply-fractions/v/multiply-
ing-a-fraction-by-a-fraction (5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmfXyR7Z6Lk (6 min)

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Fractions and Whole Numbers
You already know how to multiply a fraction by a whole number. To review, you must change a whole number
to a fraction before multiplying. To change a whole number into a fraction, you simply turn the whole number
into the numerator and then use 1 (one) as the denominator. Review the examples:

5 = 5/1  3 = 3/1   6 = 6/1

9 = 9/1  2 = 2/1  4 = 4/1
The whole numbers have become numerators and a 1 is used as the denominator. Now, you can easily
multiply any fraction by a whole number as shown in the following examples:

5 × 2/3 = 5/1 × 2/3 = 10/3 = 3 1/3 

3 × 6/7 =3/1 × 6/7 = 18/7 = 2 4/7
1/5 × 5 = 1/5 × 5/1 = 5/5 = 1 
4/5 × 10 = 4/5 × 10/1 = 40/5 = 8
The products can be mixed numbers or whole numbers, and if necessary, you may need to reduce.
Of course, you may use a shortcut and simply multiply the whole number by the fraction’s numerator, keep
the same denominator, and then change to a mixed or whole number, and then reduce if necessary.
For example, in the problem below, multiply the whole number (4) times the numerator of the fraction (2).
Next, keep the denominator (3), and then change the product into a mixed number.

4 × 2/3 = 8/3 = 2 2/3

Multiplying fractions by whole numbers is as easy as memorizing the multiplication facts. In addition, multiplying
fractions by other fractions is just as easy.

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Multiplying Fractions by Fractions
You understand how to multiply a fraction by a whole number when the new denominator is a one. Multiplying
another fraction by a fraction is almost the same process; however, instead of the denominator being a one,
the denominator will be a different number and then you multiply as usual. You will multiply the numerator
times the other numerator and the denominator times the other denominator:

Numerator x Numerator = Numerator

Denominator x Denominator = Denominator

4 x 2 = 8
5 x 3 = 15
Review additional examples. Notice, you simply multiply the numerators and the denominators.

1/2 × 3/4 = 3/8   5/6 × 3/8 = 15/48 = 5/16

6/5 × 7/8 = 42/40 = 1 1/20   5/1 × 2/3 × 6/10 = 60/30 = 2

Once you multiply, you may need to reduce or change the products into mixed or whole numbers. The better
you know the multiplication facts, the easier it will be to multiply fractions by fractions.

What is your favorite fraction? Why? Multiply

your favorite fraction by . What is the product?

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 Activity Name __________________________ Date _________

Cut apart each of the numbers, the equal sign, multiplication symbols, and the fraction bars. Work
cooperatively with your partner and create a variety of fraction multiplication problems. Write them
out using the space provided and solve.

1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 0 1 2
3 4 5 6
7 8 9 0
× × =
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 Activity Name __________________________ Date _________

List and solve the fractions you created in the space below. Be sure to change to mixed or whole
number and reduce when necessary. (Make at least 20 problems.)

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 Practice Name __________________________ Date _________

Multiply.

1 2/5 × 2/5 = 13 4 × 3/2 =

2 2/5 × 1/3 = 14 3/4 × 7/2 =

3 1/9 × 6/7 = 15 1/8 × 3 =

4 1/2 × 1/2 = 16 2/9 × 1/7 =

5 3/4 × 2/3 = 17 7/12 × 3/7 =

6 5/7 × 9 = 18 3/2 × 8/9 =

7 1/4 × 12/13 = 19 2/5 × 5/2 =

8 7/8 × 1/6 = 20 1/11 × 11 =

9 4/9 × 3 = 21 11/12 × 3/2 =

10 1/5 × 1/5 = 22 3/4 × 4/5 =

11 1/9 × 4 = 23 1/8 × 6/7 =

12 1/2 × 10/11 = 24 7/3 ×1/7 =

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 Homework Name __________________________ Date _________

In math, the word “of” often means to multiply. For example, ½ of 2 is the same as ½ x 2 which is
equal to 1. Read each and multiply when necessary.
1. If Michael ate one-half of 3 pizzas, how much pizza did he eat in all?

2. One of Leisha’s fingernails was one-half of thirteenth-sixteenth. What is the length of the fingernail?

3. There were two-thirds of a pizza remaining. Harper ate one-fourth of the remaining pizza. How much
did she eat?

4. Logan had two-thirds of a bag of candy that was one-half full. How much candy did Logan eat from the
bag?

5. Emma had 180 pennies and she wanted to give three-quarters of the pennies to her little sister. How
many pennies did she give to her little sister?

6. Riley attended just one-third of his seven classes in school yesterday. How many classes in all did Riley
attend?

7. Eva’s father is a carpenter and he cut four-fifths of a 15-inch board. How much of the board Eva’s father
cut?

8. If you correctly answered three-fourths of the total number of questions on this page, how many questions
in all did you answer correctly?

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 Practice Answer Key
Name __________________________ Date _________

Multiply.

1 2/5 × 2/5 = 4/25 13 4 × 3/2 = 6

2 2/5 × 1/3 = 2/15 14 3/4 × 7/2 = 2 5/8
3 1/9 × 6/7 = 4/21 15 1/8 × 3 = 3/8
4 1/2 × 1/2 = 1/4 16 2/9 × 1/7 = 2/63
5 3/4 × 2/3 = 1/2 17 7/12 × 3/7 = 1/4
6 5/7 × 9 = 6 3/7 18 3/2 × 8/9 = 1 1/3
7 1/4 × 12/13 = 3/13 19 2/5 × 5/2 = 1
8 7/8 × 1/6 = 7/48 20 1/11 × 11 = 1
9 4/9 × 3 = 1 1/3 21 11/12 × 3/2 = 1 3/8
10 1/5 × 1/5 = 2/25 22 3/4 × 4/5 = 3/5
11 1/9 × 4 = 4/9 23 1/8 × 6/7 = 3/28
12 1/2 × 10/11 = 5/11 24 7/3 ×1/7 = 1/3

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 Homework Answer Key
Name __________________________ Date _________

In math, the word “of” often means to multiply. For example, ½ of 2 is the same as ½ x 2 which is
equal to 1. Read each and multiply when necessary.
1. If Michael ate one-half of 3 pizzas, how much pizza did he eat in all? 1-1/2

2. One of Leisha’s fingernails was one-half of thirteenth-sixteenth. What is the length of the fingernail? 13/32

3. There were two-thirds of a pizza remaining. Harper ate one-fourth of the remaining pizza. How much
did she eat? 1/6

4. Logan had two-thirds of a bag of candy that was one-half full. How much candy did Logan eat from the
bag? 1/3

5. Emma had 180 pennies and she wanted to give three-quarters of the pennies to her little sister. How
many pennies did she give to her little sister? 135

6. Riley attended just one-third of his seven classes in school yesterday. How many classes in all did Riley
attend? 2-1/3

7. Eva’s father is a carpenter and he cut four-fifths of a 15-inch board. How much of the board Eva’s father
cut? 12 inches

8. If you correctly answered three-fourths of the total number of questions on this page, how many questions
in all did you answer correctly? 6

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