How do I find the fraction of a number?

Question

anonymous · Answer

Here are the problems:
1/2 of 16
1/4 of 12
1/4 of 20
2/3 of 9
1/10 of 50
2/3 of 24

mertsj · Answer

Remember that of means times

phi · Answer

I'll do the first one.
$$ \frac{1}{2} \text{ of }16= \frac{1}{2}\cdot\frac{16}{1}= \frac{16}{2}= 8 $$

anonymous · Answer

Can you explain?

anonymous · Answer

How would I multiply them?

phi · Answer

you multiply fractions by multiplying their tops, and then multiply their bottoms.  if one of the numbers is a whole number, make its bottom a 1.  See example above for 1/2 * 16

anonymous · Answer

So you just divide the whole number by the denominator?

phi · Answer

in these simple problems, that is what happens.  But see what happens when you get to 2/3 of 9

anonymous · Answer

2/3 of 9 = 3?

phi · Answer

2/3 of 9 is the same as
$$ \frac{2}{3}\cdot \frac{9}{1} $$

phi · Answer

multiply tops 
multiply bottoms
divide