# simple fraction issue

• May 1st 2011, 11:42 AM
anthonye
simple fraction issue
HI all;
1/3 * 1/5 = 1 2/3.

My question is what does the answer really mean ie does it mean 1 fifth and 2 thirds of a fifth?

thanks.
• May 1st 2011, 11:49 AM
topsquark
Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonye
HI all;
1/3 * 1/5 = 1 2/3.

My question is what does the answer really mean ie does it mean 1 fifth and 2 thirds of a fifth?

thanks.

For starters I don't like the "mixed" notation. However the answer is simply wrong.
$\frac{1}{3} \cdot \frac{1}{5} = \frac{1}{15}$

There is no mixed number expression for this.

For the record, $1 \frac{2}{3}$ is 1 + 2/3. This is in reference to some "unit" of length 1.

-Dan
• May 1st 2011, 11:51 AM
Quacky
I think the original question was 1/3 divided by 1/5, which gives the answer in the OP.
• May 1st 2011, 11:51 AM
anthonye
Oops I wrote the second fracton the wrong way it should be 5/1.
• May 1st 2011, 02:52 PM
topsquark
Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonye
Oops I wrote the second fracton the wrong way it should be 5/1.

Okay, that makes a lot more sense. Do you understand the comment I made about $1 \frac{2}{3}$?

-Dan
• May 2nd 2011, 02:51 AM
anthonye
• May 2nd 2011, 03:03 AM
topsquark
Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonye

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonye
HI all;
1/3 * 1/5 = 1 2/3.

My question is what does the answer really mean ie does it mean 1 fifth and 2 thirds of a fifth?

thanks.

The "1" in the mixed number means "1 unit" ie the number 1, not 1 unit of 1/5. 1 unit of 1/5 would be 1/5 and we would write it as so. Similarly the (2/3) represents (2/3) of a unit, not (2/3) of 1/5.

Does that make it clearer?

-Dan
• May 2nd 2011, 03:18 AM
anthonye
Yeah think I see could do with a diagram if you can.
• May 2nd 2011, 03:33 AM
topsquark
Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonye
Yeah think I see could do with a diagram if you can.

Ummm...What kind of diagram do you think would help? A diagram of what?

-Dan

Edit: If you are asking for a pie chart of some kind showing fractions then 1 and 2/3 would be a whole circle and 2/3 of another. (Image uploads are down at the moment anyway.)
• May 2nd 2011, 03:36 AM
anthonye
Ok thats what I needed to know no need for a diagram
Thanks for all the help.
• May 2nd 2011, 03:48 AM
anthonye
maybe still something missing the original question asks how many 1/5 in a 1/3 resulting in 1 2/3 my brains telling me this is
1 whole fifth and 2/3 of a fifth I dont understand why.
• May 2nd 2011, 04:10 AM
topsquark
Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonye
maybe still something missing the original question asks how many 1/5 in a 1/3 resulting in 1 2/3 my brains telling me this is
1 whole fifth and 2/3 of a fifth I dont understand why.

Ahhhhh! I see where this is coming from now. Okay. Yes, there are (1 and 2/3) fifths in one third. You were correct to begin with. Sorry about the whole bit of confusion. (shrugs)

-Dan
• May 2nd 2011, 04:34 AM
anthonye
Ok thanks you had me wondering for a minute there.
Thanks again for the help topsquark.

You get what I mean this is deffinitly right yes.