Fraction Calculation: 10 1/2 x 15 1/8
In this article, we will dive into the calculation of a mixed-number multiplication problem: 10 1/2 x 15 1/8. We will break down the steps to solve this problem and provide the final answer.
Step 1: Convert Mixed Numbers to Improper Fractions
To multiply mixed numbers, we need to convert them to improper fractions. An improper fraction is a fraction where the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator.
10 1/2 = ? To convert 10 1/2 to an improper fraction, we multiply the whole number part (10) by the denominator (2) and then add the numerator (1):
10 × 2 + 1 = 21
So, 10 1/2 = 21/2
15 1/8 = ? Similarly, we convert 15 1/8 to an improper fraction:
15 × 8 + 1 = 121
So, 15 1/8 = 121/8
Step 2: Multiply the Fractions
Now we multiply the two improper fractions:
21/2 × 121/8
To multiply fractions, we multiply the numerators (21 and 121) and multiply the denominators (2 and 8):
(21 × 121) / (2 × 8) = 2541 / 16
Step 3: Simplify the Fraction
We can simplify the fraction by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor (GCD). The GCD of 2541 and 16 is 1, so the fraction is already in its simplest form:
2541/16
Therefore, the result of multiplying 10 1/2 and 15 1/8 is 2541/16.
