paulbranon
New member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2014
- Messages
- 5
Why are all of the explanations as to why we need a common denominator when adding and subtracting fractions but not when multiplying them so complicated?
I've looked at quite a few explanations (one used algebra to explain it) I only got half way through that one! Isn't it because none of the ones I can find on the Internet are asking what does the question actually mean. Isn't it because when we ask what is 1/2 x 1/3 what we are actually asking is what is half of a third. When we ask what is 4/5 x 2/3 we are asking what is nearly all of two thirds
Is this not equally true of wholes multiplied by fractions? The demonstration of 2/3 x 12 takes quite a bit of space. But the answer to the question what is two thirds of twelve does not.
I've looked at quite a few explanations (one used algebra to explain it) I only got half way through that one! Isn't it because none of the ones I can find on the Internet are asking what does the question actually mean. Isn't it because when we ask what is 1/2 x 1/3 what we are actually asking is what is half of a third. When we ask what is 4/5 x 2/3 we are asking what is nearly all of two thirds
Is this not equally true of wholes multiplied by fractions? The demonstration of 2/3 x 12 takes quite a bit of space. But the answer to the question what is two thirds of twelve does not.