Multiply Three Fractions: 2/4 × 2/3 × 1/2 Step-by-Step

You can multiply them two at a time if it's easier! For example, first find $\frac{2}{4} \times \frac{2}{3} = \frac{4}{12}$, then multiply by $\frac{1}{2}$. The final answer will be the same.

You can simplify before or after multiplying! Some students find it easier to cancel common factors first (like the 2 in $\frac{2}{4}$), while others prefer to multiply everything then simplify at the end.

List the factors of both numbers and find the largest one they share. For 4 and 24: factors of 4 are {1, 2, 4} and factors of 24 are {1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24}. The GCD is 4.

That makes the problem easier! A numerator of 1 means you're just multiplying by that fraction. In this problem, multiplying by $\frac{1}{2}$ is like taking half of your result.

You could, but it's often messier! $\frac{2}{4} \times \frac{2}{3} \times \frac{1}{2}$ becomes 0.5 × 0.667... × 0.5 = 0.1667..., which is harder than keeping it as $\frac{1}{6}$.