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Understanding and Reasoning about Multiplication of Fractions. What Students Need to Know Well Before Operating With Fractions. Meaning of the denominator (number of equal-sized pieces into which the whole has been cut); Meaning of the numerator (how many pieces are being considered);
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Understanding and Reasoning about Multiplication of Fractions
What Students Need to Know Well Before Operating With Fractions • Meaning of the denominator (number of equal-sized pieces into which the whole has been cut); • Meaning of the numerator (how many pieces are being considered); • The more pieces a whole is divided into, the smaller the size of the pieces; • Fractions aren’t just between zero and one, they live between all the numbers on the number line; • A fraction can have many different names; • Understand the meanings for operations for whole numbers.
A Context for Fraction Multiplication • Nadine is baking brownies. In her family, some people like their brownies frosted without nuts, others like them frosted with nuts, and some like them plain. So Nadine frosts 3/4 of the batch of brownies and puts nuts on 2/3 of the frosted part. How much of her batch of brownies has both frosting and nuts?
Multiplication of Fractions Consider: • How do you think a child might solve each of these? • What kinds of reasoning and/or models might they use to make sense of each of these problems?
Reasoning About Multiplication • Whole number meanings - U.S. conventions • 4 x 2 = 8 • Set - Four groups of two • Area - Four units by two units
Reasoning About Multiplication • Whole number meanings - U.S. conventions • 2 x 4 = 8 • Set - Two groups of four • Area - Two units by four units • When multiplying, each factor refers to something different. One tells how many groups and the other, how many in each group. The representations are quite different.
Reasoning About Multiplication • Fraction meanings - U.S. conventions • Set - Two-thirds of one group of three-fourths • Area - Two-thirds of a row of three-fourths of one column • Set - Three-fourths of one group of two-thirds • Area - Three-fourths rows of two-thirds of one column
Models for Reasoning About Multiplication • Area/measurement models (e.g., fraction circles) • Linear/measurement (e.g., paper tape)
Materials for Modeling Multiplication of Fractions • How would you use these materials to model ? • Paper tape • Fraction circles • You could also use: • Pattern blocks • Fraction Bars / Fraction Strips • Paper folding
How much is of ? So of is . Using a Linear Model With Multiplication
Using an Area Model with Fraction Circles for Fraction Multiplication • How would you use these materials to model
How much is of ? Using a Linear Model With Multiplication So is of 1 is .
Using an Area Model with Fraction Circles for Fraction Multiplication • How would you use these materials to model ?
Mixed Number Multiplication • Using a ruler and card, draw a rectangle that is by inches, and find the total number of square inches. Find your answer first by counting, then by multiplying. • Compare your answers--are they the same?
Other Contexts for Multiplication of Fractions • Finding part of a part (a reason why multiplication doesn’t always make things “bigger”) • Pizza (pepperoni on of a pizza) • Ribbon (you have yd of ribbon and need of a yard to make a bow) • Lawn ( is mowed, of that is raked)
Thinking More Deeply About Multiplication and Division of Fractions • Estimating and judging the reasonableness of answers • Recognizing situations involving multiplication or division of fractions • Considering and creating other contexts where the multiplication of fractions occurs • Making thoughtful number choices when considering examples