Why Does Multiplication Make Numbers Smaller? The Hidden Secret Behind Multiplying Whole Numbers by Fractions!

“Wait… Shouldn’t Multiplication Make Numbers Bigger?”

Imagine this: Your child is confidently solving multiplication problems, but suddenly, they hit a major roadblock—multiplying a whole number by a fraction. They wonder:

“Why does 5 × 2/3 give me a smaller number than 5?”
“Isn’t multiplication supposed to make numbers bigger?”
“What does it actually mean when I multiply by a fraction?”

If these questions confuse your child, they’re not alone. Many students struggle with this concept because they don’t have a clear visual understanding of what’s happening. And without that foundation, fractions become a major hurdle—leading to frustration and math anxiety.

Cracking the Code with Visual Models ️

Here’s the key: Multiplication doesn’t always mean “making bigger”—it means “scaling.”

Let’s break it down with an example:
If you take 5 apples and only eat 2/3 of them, do you have more apples or fewer? ➡️

This is why multiplying by fractions reduces the number—you’re taking a “fractional part” of something whole.

Without visual models, many kids struggle to grasp this logic. That’s why our step-by-step video tutorials make all the difference!

What Your Child Will Learn in This Lesson:

✅ Illustrating Fraction Multiplication: Using visual aids to “see” why the answer is smaller.
✅ Breaking Down Each Step: Easy-to-follow video tutorials that make fractions click.
✅ Building Long-Term Math Confidence: Once your child truly understands fractions, they’ll excel in algebra, geometry, and beyond!

Your Step-by-Step Math Adventure!

At The Teacher’s Dungeon, we believe learning should be fun, interactive, and effective. That’s why our gamified lessons help students practice, apply, and master concepts with real-world problem-solving.

Each challenge in this lesson follows our proven Play-Pause-Copy Method—a structured approach designed for students with ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning differences.

Watch the first problem below and follow along!

Challenge 1: Evian-Drinking Kangaroo (Watch Me!)

Scenario: You are a scientist studying the strange occurrence of a kangaroo that drinks nothing but Evian water. You are tasked with the job of making sure that the kangaroo drinks the correct amount of water. You have 5 bottles of Evian water. You must feed the kangaroo exactly 2/3 of the Evian water. How much water will you give the kangaroo?

A kangaroo only drinks Evian water. You have 5 bottles and need to give it exactly 2/3 of the water.
➡️ How much does the kangaroo drink?
Watch the free video tutorial:

Challenge 2: Long-Eared Carrot Eaters (Work With Me!)

Scenario: Ever since you were tiny-tiny you loved bunnies. For your last birthday, your parents bought you two baby bunnies. You love petting their long ears as they nibble away at their food. Last night you gave them 6-carrots. They ate 4/7 of the carrots. How much did your Long Eared Carrot Eaters eat?

You have two baby bunnies who munch on 6 carrots. They eat only 4/7 of the carrots.

➡️ How many carrots did they eat?
Follow along with this interactive video tutorial:

Challenge 3: Pink Flamingo Research (On Your Own!)

Scenario: You are a biologist researching pink flamingos and their diet. You are tasked with the job of discovering how much they eat. You watch as a pink flamingo eats 11 shrimp. However, you notice that the flamingo only eats 3/4 of each shrimp. The flamingo spits the rest of the shrimp into the water, where tiny fish nibble at the remains. How much shrimp have you observed the pink flamingos eat?

A flamingo eats 11 shrimp, but only 3/4 of each shrimp before spitting the rest out.

➡️ How much shrimp did the flamingo actually eat?
Try solving it, then check your answer in this video!

Challenge 4: Peter Piper the Pretty Praying Mantis (On Your Own!)

Scenario: You have a pet Praying Mantis named Peter Piper the Pretty Praying Mantis. He is your favorite pet. Not only is he unique, quirky, and pretty, but he eats the mosquitoes that try to bite you. However, Peter Piper does not care for the legs, so he only eats 4/5 of each mosquito. Yesterday, Peter Piper ate 7 mosquitoes. How much did Pete Piper the Pretty Praying Mantis actually eat?

Your pet praying mantis eats 7 mosquitoes, but only 4/5 of each one.
➡️ How much did Peter Piper really eat?
Solve and verify with this video:

Challenge 5: Thor the Thirsty Rhino (On Your Own!)

Scenario: Thor the Thirsty Rhino is searching the arid African Plains for a watering hole. He is so thirsty that he can think of little else. In the past week he has only found 4 small ponds. He drank 2/3 of a quart from each pond. How many quarts of water has Thor the Thirsty Rhino drunk in the past week?

Thor finds 4 ponds but drinks only 2/3 of a quart from each.
➡️ How many quarts did he drink in total?
Check your answer here:

Real-World Success Story: Beating Math Anxiety!

Meet Lucas, a 5th grader who hated fractions. Every time he saw a problem like 3/4 × 12, he shut down. He thought multiplication should always make numbers bigger—so fractions just didn’t make sense.

After using our Play-Pause-Copy method, everything clicked!

He saw the concept visually with our video tutorials.
He practiced step-by-step with the “Work With Me” problems.
He mastered the skill by doing On Your Own challenges.

The result? Lucas aced his fractions unit test and now loves math!

Final Takeaway: Master Fractions with Confidence!

Multiplying whole numbers by fractions doesn’t have to be confusing!
With step-by-step video tutorials & real-world examples, your child will finally understand fractions.
Every student who follows this method has passed the Common Core Proficiency Exam! ✅

Give your child the advantage they need! Join the adventure today at The Teacher’s Dungeon.

Ready to Empower Your Child?

➡️ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for FREE math tutoring!
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