Simplifying a fraction means reducing it to its lowest terms, where the numerator and denominator have no common factors other than 1. A simplified fraction represents the same value as the original but uses the smallest possible numbers.
For example, 8/12 can be simplified to 2/3 by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor (GCD), which is 4. Both fractions represent the same value, but 2/3 is in its simplest form.
Follow these steps to simplify any fraction:
Where GCD is the Greatest Common Divisor of the numerator and denominator. This ensures the fraction is reduced to its lowest terms.
Problem: Simplify 24/36
Solution:
The greatest common divisor can be found using the Euclidean algorithm or by listing all factors of both numbers and finding the largest one they share.
The fraction is called an "improper fraction" but can still be simplified the same way. For example, 15/10 simplifies to 3/2.
No. Fractions where the numerator and denominator are coprime (GCD = 1) are already in simplest form. For example, 3/7 cannot be simplified further.