Multiply Fractions, Whole Numbers and Mixed Numbers
Enter two factors, simplify before multiplying, and see the exact fraction, mixed number, decimal, percentage and a labelled fraction-bar model. The 5/6 × 7 example is built in.
First factor
Second factor
Fraction-bar model
For large denominators, the diagram uses a proportional bar instead of drawing every individual part.
Exact answer and simplification
How to multiply fractions
Convert mixed numbers to improper fractions, cancel common factors across a numerator and the opposite denominator, multiply the remaining numerators, multiply the remaining denominators, and reduce the answer. Whole numbers use a denominator of 1.
5/6 × 7 worked answer
The whole number 7 becomes 7/1. Multiplying gives 35/6, which is already in lowest terms. As a mixed number, 35/6 is 5 5/6; as a decimal it is approximately 5.833333.
Questions about multiplying fractions
Can I multiply two mixed numbers?
Yes. Enter each whole-number part, numerator and denominator. The calculator converts both values to improper fractions before cancellation.
Does cross-cancellation change the answer?
No. It divides a numerator and the opposite denominator by the same common factor, making the multiplication easier while preserving the value.
Can the result be negative?
Yes. Enter a negative whole-number part or numerator. The sign is normalized in the final simplified fraction.
Fraction multiplication for homework, recipes and measurements
This fraction multiplication calculator is designed for more than one preloaded arithmetic question. It accepts proper fractions, improper fractions, whole numbers and mixed numbers on either side of the multiplication sign. That makes it useful for classroom work, recipe scaling, woodworking measurements and any problem where a fractional quantity is repeated several times.
How the calculator interprets each entry
A whole number is treated as a fraction with a denominator of 1. A mixed number is converted to an improper fraction before multiplication. For example, 2 1/3 becomes 7/3. Negative signs are normalized so the final answer has a positive denominator. A zero numerator produces zero, while a zero denominator is rejected because division by zero is undefined.
Why cross-cancellation is shown before multiplication
Cross-cancellation reduces a numerator and the opposite denominator by their greatest common factor. It does not change the value of either factor; it only prevents unnecessarily large intermediate numbers. The working panel shows every cancelled value so students can see exactly why the reduced multiplication is equivalent to the original expression.
Answers in every useful form
The result includes the simplified fraction, improper fraction, mixed number, decimal and percentage. The visual fraction bars provide a second explanation for learners who understand shaded quantities more easily than symbolic arithmetic. When a denominator is too large to draw as individual cells, the visual changes to a proportional bar rather than producing an unreadable grid.
Common fraction multiplication mistakes
- Adding denominators instead of multiplying them.
- Changing mixed numbers incorrectly before multiplying.
- Cancelling values on the same numerator-and-denominator side instead of diagonally.
- Stopping at an unsimplified result.
- Rounding a decimal too early when an exact fraction is required.
More worked examples
4/7 × 5/6: cancel 4 with 6 to get 2 and 3, then multiply 2 × 5 over 7 × 3. The simplified result is 10/21.
1 1/2 × 2 2/3: convert the mixed numbers to 3/2 and 8/3. Cross-cancel the 3s and reduce 8/2 to 4, giving an exact answer of 4.
Can I use the calculator only for 5/6 × 7?
No. That query is included as a quick preset, but every numerator, denominator and whole-number part can be changed.
Should I use the decimal or fraction result?
Use the exact simplified fraction for mathematics and measurements that must remain exact. Use the decimal when the application requires a decimal approximation.