From: Ron (for Teacher2Teacher Service)
Date: Mar 13, 2001 at 13:45:13
Subject: Re: Multiplying fractions

Hi:

I have found that the substitution of the word "of" in place of "times"
made a world of difference.

For example:
1/2 x 1/3 becomes 1/2 of 1/3.

A fellow teacher used a large grid sheet (the kind that goes on a display
stand). She told them that a 12 square strip (1 x 12) represents one unit. 
She then gave the students a number of 1 x 12 square "strips".

The student first rips 1/3 from one of his 12 square strip and he now
has a 1 x 4 square strip, then the student takes half of this and is left 
with a 1 x 2 strip. When compared to the original unit (the 12 square strip), 
they have 2/12 of the original unit (or 1/6).

Hope this works for your students.

Cheers.
 -Ron, for the T2T service

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