Solving a Story Problem with Multiplication and Fractions

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 54 views

Solving a Story Problem with Multiplication and Fractions

In this article, we will write and solve a story problem that can be modeled by the equation $11 \times \frac{2}{5} = n$ . This problem involves multiplication and fractions, and we will use these concepts to create a real-world scenario that can be solved using the given equation.

Let's start by writing a story problem that can be modeled by the equation $11 \times \frac{2}{5} = n$ . Here's a possible scenario:

Problem: Tom is a farmer who grows a variety of fruits and vegetables on his farm. He has 11 baskets of apples, and each basket contains $\frac{2}{5}$ of a bushel of apples. How many bushels of apples does Tom have in total?

To solve this problem, we need to multiply the number of baskets of apples (11) by the fraction of a bushel of apples in each basket ( $\frac{2}{5}$ ). This will give us the total number of bushels of apples that Tom has.

We can start by multiplying the numerator of the fraction ( $2$ ) by the number of baskets of apples (11):

$2 \times 11 = 22$

Next, we need to multiply the denominator of the fraction ( $5$ ) by the number of baskets of apples (11):

$5 \times 11 = 55$

Now, we can divide the result of the first multiplication ( $22$ ) by the result of the second multiplication ( $55$ ):

$\frac{22}{55} = \frac{2}{5}$

This is the same fraction that we started with, so we can conclude that the equation $11 \times \frac{2}{5} = n$ is true.

We can simplify the equation $11 \times \frac{2}{5} = n$ by multiplying the number of baskets of apples (11) by the numerator of the fraction ( $2$ ):

$11 \times 2 = 22$

Next, we can divide the result by the denominator of the fraction ( $5$ ):

$\frac{22}{5} = 4.4$

So, the equation $11 \times \frac{2}{5} = n$ can be simplified to $n = 4.4$ .

This problem has many real-world applications, such as:

Agriculture: Farmers often need to calculate the total amount of produce they have, including fruits and vegetables.
Cooking: Recipes often require a specific amount of ingredients, and cooks need to calculate the total amount of ingredients needed.
Business: Businesses often need to calculate the total amount of products they have, including inventory and supplies.

Here are some tips and tricks for solving story problems like this one:

Read the problem carefully: Make sure you understand what the problem is asking for.
Identify the key elements: Identify the key elements of the problem, such as the number of baskets of apples and the fraction of a bushel of apples in each basket.
Use multiplication and fractions: Use multiplication and fractions to solve the problem.
Simplify the equation: Simplify the equation to find the value of $n$ .

Here are some practice problems that you can try:

Problem 1: A bookshelf has 15 shelves, and each shelf can hold $\frac{3}{4}$ of a book. How many books can the bookshelf hold in total?
Problem 2: A bakery has 20 loaves of bread, and each loaf weighs $\frac{1}{2}$ of a pound. How many pounds of bread does the bakery have in total?
Problem 3: A farmer has 12 baskets of apples, and each basket contains $\frac{4}{5}$ of a bushel of apples. How many bushels of apples does the farmer have in total?

In this article, we wrote and solved a story problem that can be modeled by the equation $11 \times \frac{2}{5} = n$ . We used multiplication and fractions to create a real-world scenario that can be solved using the given equation. We also simplified the equation to find the value of $n$ . We hope that this article has helped you to understand how to solve story problems like this one.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Solving Story Problems with Multiplication and Fractions

In our previous article, we wrote and solved a story problem that can be modeled by the equation $11 \times \frac{2}{5} = n$ . We used multiplication and fractions to create a real-world scenario that can be solved using the given equation. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about solving story problems like this one.

A: In story problems, multiplication is used to represent the repeated addition of a quantity. For example, if we have 3 groups of 4 apples, we can represent this as 3 x 4 = 12 apples. Addition, on the other hand, is used to represent the total amount of a quantity. For example, if we have 2 apples and 4 apples, we can represent this as 2 + 4 = 6 apples.

A: To determine whether to use multiplication or addition in a story problem, ask yourself the following questions:

Is the problem asking for the total amount of a quantity?
Is the problem asking for the repeated addition of a quantity?
Is the problem asking for the product of two or more quantities?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you should use multiplication. If the answer is no, then you should use addition.

A: A fraction is a way of representing a part of a whole as a ratio of two numbers. For example, $\frac{1}{2}$ represents one half of a whole. A decimal, on the other hand, is a way of representing a fraction as a number with a decimal point. For example, 0.5 represents one half of a whole.

A: To convert a fraction to a decimal, divide the numerator by the denominator. For example, to convert $\frac{1}{2}$ to a decimal, divide 1 by 2, which equals 0.5.

A: A mixed number is a way of representing a fraction as a combination of a whole number and a fraction. For example, 2 $\frac{1}{2}$ represents two and a half. An improper fraction, on the other hand, is a way of representing a fraction as a ratio of two numbers, where the numerator is greater than the denominator. For example, $\frac{3}{2}$ is an improper fraction.

A: To convert a mixed number to an improper fraction, multiply the whole number by the denominator and add the numerator. Then, write the result as a fraction with the denominator. For example, to convert 2 $\frac{1}{2}$ to an improper fraction, multiply 2 by 2, which equals 4. Then, add 1, which equals 5. Finally, write the result as a fraction with the denominator, which equals $\frac{5}{2}$ .

A: A ratio is a way of representing the relationship between two quantities as a fraction. For example, 3:4 represents a ratio of 3 to 4. A proportion, on the other hand, is a way of representing the relationship between two quantities as an equation. For example, $\frac{3}{4} = \frac{x}{y}$ represents a proportion.

A: To solve a proportion, cross-multiply the two fractions. Then, solve for the unknown quantity. For example, to solve the proportion $\frac{3}{4} = \frac{x}{y}$ , cross-multiply the two fractions, which equals 3y = 4x. Then, solve for x, which equals x = $\frac{3y}{4}$ .

In this article, we answered some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about solving story problems with multiplication and fractions. We hope that this article has helped you to understand how to solve story problems like this one. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!