Eli5 What really is a fraction TIMES a fraction?! It makes NO sense.

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I am reteaching myself math, but something is bugging me soooo bad and I can’t find the answer. What is a real life example of multiplying a fraction by a fraction? I was wondering why .05 to the 5th exponent would get smaller not bigger. This is driving me bonkers.

Sure 1/2 makes sense, but how about 1/2 times 3/5 in real life?!?

Edit: OMFG. Math is cool and makes sense. Finally, I’m 28. Thank you all!!!!

Edit: I was given an AP Scholar award, but it was not for math.

* * * The best explanation goes to the person who explained “times” and “of” were synonomous!!!! * * *

NOW EXPLAIN THIS: How am I in the 99.9th percentile for arithmetic, but suck at math?! Do I have potential? Am I still gifted in “math” or are math and arithmetic too separate things. A professor told me they are different parts of the brain.

In: Mathematics

38 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

A REAL life example:

You’ve been feeding your dog 2/3 cup of brand A kibbles each meal according to the instructions. Then here comes brand B kibbles, a higher quality food for your dog and you’re supposed to give 2/3 cup each meal as well.

Since you don’t want to shock your dog’s digestive system (and result in horrific diarrhoea), you ought to gradually decrease the proportion of brand A kibbles and increase the proportion of brand B kibbles over the course of 5 days or longer.

So here’s the meal plan gonna look–

Day 1: (2/3)X(4/5) cup of brand A + (2/3)X(1/5) cup of brand B

Day 2: (2/3)X(3/5) cup of brand A + (2/3)X(2/5) cup of brand B

Day 3: (2/3)X(2/5) cup of brand A + (2/3)X(3/5) cup of brand B

Day 4: (2/3)X(1/5) cup of brand A + (2/3)X(4/5) cup of brand B

Day 5: (2/3)X(0/5) cup of brand A + (2/3)X(5/5) cup of brand B

Yup, this is a real life example… None of those cutting up pizza/pie crap. Who doesn’t eat the entire thing in one sitting?

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