Final answer:
To simplify a mixed number, convert it to an improper fraction then reduce to simplest form. When multiplying fractions, multiply numerators and denominators, simplifying by common factors first.
Step-by-step explanation:
To simplify a mixed number, you must first convert it to an improper fraction, by multiplying the whole number part by the denominator of the fractional part and then adding the numerator of the fractional part. Simplify the resulting fraction by dividing both numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor (GCD) to obtain it in simplest form.
For example, to simplify 1¾, you would first convert it into an improper fraction: (1×4) + 3 = 7/4. There are no common factors between 7 and 4, so this improper fraction is already simplified. If you had a fraction like 8/4, where 8 and 4 share a common factor of 4, it would simplify to 2/1, or just 2.
When multiplying fractions, you multiply the numerators together and the denominators together. If the fractions have common factors, cancel them out before multiplying to simplify the numbers. For instance, if you're multiplying ½ and ¾, you can simplify each to 1/1 (since both 2 and 4 are divisible by 2) before multiplying to get 1×1/1×1, which simplifies to 1.