It is often the case that the numbers we encounter are not whole numbers. You might have 
of a sandwich or need 
of a cup of sugar for a recipe. We encounter fractions all the time in math as well as in our everyday lives. That's why it is important to know what to do when we have to multiply those fractions.
When we multiply fractions, we multiply across the top and write that number on the top. Then we multiply across the bottom and write that number on the bottom. For example, if we are multiplying 
, we start by multiplying across the top. Since 2 and 3 are on the top, we multiply them together. When we do, we get 6. So the number that will go at the top of our answer is 6.
Next, we multiply across the bottom. When we multiply 3 times 4, we get 12 (3 x 4 = 12). The number that goes at the bottom of our answer is 12.
The same multiplication rules are used for all fractions. If we multiply 
, we first multiply the top numbers. We multiply 5 times 2, which equals 10 (5 x 2 = 10), so the top number is 10. When we multiply 3 times 5 (3 x 5), we find that the bottom number is 15. We put together the top and bottom numbers we found, and the resulting fraction is 
.
