1/16 x 8: Simplifying Fractions and Multiplication
Understanding Fractions
Before we dive into multiplying fractions, let's briefly review what fractions are. A fraction is a way to represent a part of a whole. It consists of a numerator (the top number) and a denominator (the bottom number). In the case of 1/16, the numerator is 1, and the denominator is 16.
Multiplying Fractions
To multiply fractions, we need to follow these steps:
- Multiply the numerators (the numbers on top) together
- Multiply the denominators (the numbers on the bottom) together
1/16 x 8: Simplifying the Multiplication
Now, let's multiply 1/16 by 8.
- Numerator: 1 x 8 = 8
- Denominator: 16 (remains the same)
So, the result of multiplying 1/16 by 8 is 8/16.
Simplifying the Fraction
To simplify the fraction, we need to find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the numerator and the denominator. The GCD of 8 and 16 is 8. Therefore, we can divide both the numerator and the denominator by 8, resulting in:
1/2
And that's the simplified result of multiplying 1/16 by 8!
