How do you simplify a fraction?

Find a common number in which the numerator and denominator are both divisible by and then continue to do this until it the numerator and denominator no longer have a common factor.

Divide the numerator and denominator by a common factor until they no longer have any common factors

You can simplify a fraction by dividing the numerator AND denominator by the factors that are common to both. So in terms of the fraction 20 over 10, the numerator 20 and the denominator 10 are both divisible by 10, the former twice and the latter once. So 20 over 10 can be simplified as 2 over 1.

You find a whole number which can divide evenly into both the numerator and denominator and then divide both sides by that number. For example, if we had 6/12 as a fraction, we know that 6 divides into both 6 and 12. We can then divide both sides by 6 to get 1/2.

1. Reduce fractions to the lowest term.
2. Convert the improper fraction to mixed numbers

To simplify a fraction, you must be knowledgeable of your times tables and the idea of the Highest Common Factors.

Look at your fraction and try to, by looking at the numbers, see if they are both in the same times tables. For example:

Simplify 18/54.

Here we can see that 18 and 54 are both in the 9 times tables so we divide both the numerator and denominator by 9.

18/9 = 2 and,

54/9 = 6

so we get 2/6.

BUT we are not done yet because 2 goes into both 2 and 6. We do the same process again and get our final answer as

1/3

Hope this helps :)

You find the highest number that divides into both the numerator and denominator.

Hey Jermain,

This may help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcEwj5_v75g

You can simplify a fraction if both the top and bottom number can be divided by the same number. For example 8/18... both numbers can be divided separately by 8. If you do this, the top number (numerator) will become 1 and bottom (denominator) 2 = 1/2

In order to simply a fraction you have to find a common factor between the numerator and denominator and divide both top and bottom by the same number. Keep doing this until there is no longer any common factors. The fraction is now simplified.

Find a common factor between the numerator and the denominator and divide both by this factor. Continue doing this until there are no more common factors that you can divide by. You will then be left with a fraction that is now simplified.

Initially taking the numerator i.e. top number and denominator i.e bottom number, find a number that can both be divided by the same number. Taking 3/6, as both have a common factor of 3, this fraction can be simplified into 1/2.

Firstly, write the factors of the numerator and denominator.

Secondly, identify the highest common factor of the numerator and denominator.

Then, divide the numerator and denominator by their highest common factor. The fraction you obtain will be in its simplest form.

Hey Jermain,

Firstly, you need to find the largest whole number that divides fully into both the top and bottom numbers (this is called the Largest Common Factor (LCF)).

Once you've done this, divide the top and bottom of the fraction by this number.

Examples:

25/125 -> the largest common factor is 25 -> divide the top and the bottom by 25 -> 1/5 -> cannot simplify any further

27/108 -> the largest common factor is 27 -> divide the top and bottom by 27 -> 1/4 -> cannot simplify any further

If there is no whole number that divides into both (apart from 1), then it is already simplified as far as it will go. Sorted!

TIPS:

• Sometimes finding the number that fits into both is just a matter of trying different numbers to see which fits best.
• ALWAYS double-check that the final fraction cannot be simplified further, because sometimes you may find what you 'think' is the LCF, but turns out it's not - trust me, it's happened to me before!

To simplify a fraction, you first need to find a number that you can divide both the numerator (number at the top of the fraction) and the denominator (number at the bottom of the fraction) by. For example, if we have a fraction of 18/40, we need to find a number we can divide the numerator (18) and denominator (40) by.

Once you find a number you can divide the numerator and denominator by, you need to divide them by that number. In the case above, both numbers are even, so we can divide them both by 2. If we divide them by 2, the numerator becomes 9 (18/2=9) and the denominator becomes 20 (40/2=20). This means the fraction is now 9/20.

After dividing the numerator and denominator, if you can not find another number that both the numerator and denominator are divisible by, then the fraction is simplified. With our example, 9/20 is simplified as there is no number that you can divide 9 and 20 by.