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How do you simplify a fraction?

2 years ago

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126 Replies

ยท

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J

Jermain Ankunding


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126 Answers

Dr Celine Profile Picture
Dr Celine Verified Sherpa Tutor โœ“

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Hi Jermain,


Here's how you can simplify a fraction:


  1. Find the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) of the numerator and the denominator. This is the largest number that divides both the numerator and the denominator evenly.
  2. Divide the numerator and the denominator by the GCD:
  3. Write the fraction in its simplified form by putting the result of the division as the new numerator and denominator.


Hope this helps :)

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M
Mizba Hussain

To simplify a fractions you must divide both the top and the bottom number by the same amount until your answer is no longer a whole number.


For example: 15/35 simplified is 15 divided by 5 is 3 and 35 divided by 5 is 7. So our answer is 3/7

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F
Fei Yu

You will need to find out the factors shared by the denominator and numerator. Once you can find the shared factors, the fraction can be simplified by dividing the denominator and the numerator by the same factors. It is common that this process might have to be repeated a few times until no more shared factors can be found. For example, 20 / 100 = (20 / 2) / (100 / 2) = (10 / 2) / (50 / 2) = (5 / 5) / (25 / 5).

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J
Jessica Symonds

Find the highest common factor of the numerator and denominator and divide them both by that specific HCF.

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A
Akash Saha

Find the largest number which both parts of the fraction are divisible by.

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Areeba Verified Sherpa Tutor โœ“

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The best way is to look for the highest common factor of the numerator and denominator. For example 25/50. Both numerator and denominator can be divided by 5 to give 5/10. However, 5 is just a factor of 25 & 50, it's not the highest common factor. That would be 25, giving the answer of 1/2.

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Oyinkansola Bamgboye

Find the highest common multiple between the numerator and the denominator. Then divide both the numerator and denominator by that factor.

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M
Michael N

3 Steps for Simplifying Fractions

  1. Step 1: List the factors for both the numerator and denominator.
  2. Step 2: Circle the greatest factor they both have in common, known as the greatest common factor. ( GCF)
  3. Step 3: Divide both the numerator AND denominator by the GCF.


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Find a common factor of both the denominator and numerator, and divide them both by the factor found.

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S
Sadiku Sekinat

To simplify a fraction take the the following steps.

. Write out the two part of the fraction; numerator and denominator

. Write out the factors of the two part differently

. Look for the greatest common factor for the two part

. Divide each part with this common factor

. Write the answer in the position of the part.

Example:

8/32

factors of 8: 1, 2, 4, 8

Factors of 32: 1, 2, 4, 8 ,16, 32.

Looking at the factors 8 is the most common

Then,

8รท8 =1

32รท 8= 4

8/32=1/4

Answer = 1/4.

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Hirra C Profile Picture
Hirra C Verified Sherpa Tutor โœ“

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In order to simplify a fraction, you must find a number that both the numerator and denominator divide by. For example, if the fraction was 10/30, then 10 and 30 can both be divided by 10. If you divide them by 10 then you end up with 1/3 which is the simplest form.

If you divide by the Highest Common Factor (HCF) of both numbers then you can simplify in one step - otherwise you will have to keep dividing until you can't anymore.

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Zarar Abbasi

You can simplify a fraction by finding a common factor, dividing by it, and repeating until the only common factor is 1:

1)Find a common factor

2)Divide the numerator and denominator by that common factor

3)Repeat until the only common factor is 1

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Debs Mcdonald

Look at the numerator and the denominator and see if they would appear in the same times table (apart from 1x!) If so, divided them both by this number. Repeat this step if necessary until they have no multiple in common.

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S
Stephenanson

2/4 becomes 1/2 as the 2 x table is in both numbers .. 2s in 2 is 1 and 2s in 4 is 2

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Lester Verified Sherpa Tutor โœ“

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Find the highest common factor (HCF). Divide both the numerator and denominator by their HCF.


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