Multiplying Fractions Using an Area Model
Activity: Visualizing Multiplication of Fractions
This is a very short activity that will show students the connection between "a fraction OF a whole" and the process of multiplying. This is shown using the same area model used in other activities from this site, including:
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Activity: Understanding Division of Fractions
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I have used this activity often for professional development with middle and high school teachers.
It seems that, often, we aren't 100% familiar ourselves with why some rules apply. In particular, why do we invert and multiply to divide fractions???? This activity is a problem-solving task that can be used in faculty meetings for professional learning, or in a classroom with individual or groups of students. When working with whole numbers, partitive division works well; however, quotitive works better for fractions - see answer key :)
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