Printable math worksheet featuring five word problems that teach students how to multiply fractions using cross cancelling.

Let’s solve each problem one by one, step by step. We’ll use cross-canceling when multiplying fractions — that means we simplify before multiplying to make the math easier.

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Problem 1:

> The closet in the foyer is 5/6 feet high, and the closet in the bedroom is 24/5 times as high as the closet in the foyer. What is the height of the closet in the bedroom?

We multiply:
(5/6) × (24/5)

Look for numbers we can cancel across the numerator and denominator.

- The 5 in the top left cancels with the 5 in the bottom right → both become 1.
- The 6 in the bottom left and 24 in the top right → 24 ÷ 6 = 4, so 24 becomes 4 and 6 becomes 1.

Now it’s:
(1/1) × (4/1) = 4

✔ So the bedroom closet is 4 feet high.

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Problem 2:

> Orlando picked 3/8 bushel of corn last year. This year he collected 16/3 times the yield. How much corn did he harvest this year?

Multiply:
(3/8) × (16/3)

Cancel:

- 3 on top left and 3 on bottom right → both become 1.
- 8 on bottom left and 16 on top right → 16 ÷ 8 = 2, so 16 becomes 2, 8 becomes 1.

Now:
(1/1) × (2/1) = 2

✔ He harvested 2 bushels this year.

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Problem 3:

> Perry’s Earth-Day speech lasted 7/9 minutes. Marcia’s speech was 4/7 times longer than Perry’s. How many minutes did Marcia speak for?

Wait — “times longer” here likely means “multiplied by”, not “added”. In math problems like this, unless specified otherwise, “X times longer” usually means multiply.

So:
(7/9) × (4/7)

Cancel:

- 7 on top left and 7 on bottom right → both become 1.

Left with:
(1/9) × (4/1) = 4/9

✔ Marcia spoke for 4/9 minutes.

*(Note: If “longer” meant addition, it would be 7/9 + (4/7)(7/9), but that’s more complex and not typical for this level. The context suggests multiplication.)*

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Problem 4:

> The bird feeder held 14/15 ounces of seeds in the morning. After a while, only 1/2 of the seeds remained. How many ounces were remaining?

This is straightforward: find half of 14/15.

Multiply:
(14/15) × (1/2)

Cancel:

- 14 and 2 → 14 ÷ 2 = 7, 2 ÷ 2 = 1

So:
(7/15) × (1/1) = 7/15

✔ 7/15 ounces remained.

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Problem 5:

> Mr. Thompson wants his daughters to ride a bike. They cover 1/5 of a trip on the first day. On the second day, they cover 3/4 of the distance from the first day. How many miles did they ride on the second day?

Wait — the problem doesn’t say how long the whole trip is! But looking again… it says “how many miles” — but no total distance is given. That must mean we’re just finding what fraction of the *whole trip* they rode on day two? Or maybe it’s implied that “a trip” is 1 mile? Let’s check.

Actually, rereading: “They cover 1/5 of a trip on the first day.” Then “on the second day, they cover 3/4 of the distance they did on the first day.”

So if the first day was 1/5 of the trip, then second day is 3/4 of that 1/5.

So:
(3/4) × (1/5) = 3/20

But the question asks “how many miles”? Hmm. Since no total trip length is given, perhaps we assume the whole trip is 1 mile? That’s common in such problems.

If the whole trip is 1 mile, then:

First day: 1/5 mile
Second day: 3/4 of 1/5 = 3/20 mile

✔ So they rode 3/20 miles on the second day.

*(If the trip was longer, we’d need that info — but since it’s not given, 3/20 mile is the answer based on standard interpretation.)*

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Final Answer:
1. 4 feet
2. 2 bushels
3. 4/9 minutes
4. 7/15 ounces
5. 3/20 miles