Final answer:
The product of 5 1/2 and 3 3/4, when calculated step-by-step including converting to improper fractions and multiplying, is 20 5/8.
Step-by-step explanation:
The product of 5 1/2 and 3 3/4 requires converting the mixed numbers to improper fractions before carrying out the multiplication. For 5 1/2, multiply the denominator by the whole number and add the numerator to get 11/2. For 3 3/4, the process is similar, yielding 15/4 as the improper fraction. Now multiply the numerators together and the denominators together:
11/2 × 15/4 = 165/8
The next step is to simplify the fraction or convert it back to a mixed number. To simplify 165/8, divide 165 by 8 which gives 20 with a remainder of 5, so the mixed number is 20 5/8.