Which operation is used after multiplying the whole number by the denominator when converting a mixed number to an improper fraction?

When converting a mixed number to an improper fraction, one starts by multiplying the whole number by the denominator. This product represents the total number of parts the whole number contributes to the overall fraction. After this multiplication, the next step involves adding this product to the numerator of the mixed number.

For example, in the mixed number 3 1/2, you would first multiply 3 (the whole number) by 2 (the denominator), resulting in 6. Then, you would add the original numerator, which is 1, to this product, yielding 7. The final improper fraction would be 7/2.

Thus, the correct operation in this process is to add the product of the whole number and the denominator to the numerator, leading to an improper fraction representation of the mixed number.