Methods to Simplify Fraction
General Steps
Let's examine the fraction 2/4.
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The first step is to determine the largest number that evenly divides the numerator and the denominator (also called the Greatest Common Factor of these numbers). In other words, what's the biggest number that goes into '2' (the numerator) and '4', the denominator?
![Step 1]()
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Step 2. Once you've answered step 1 and realized that, for our fraction at least, the greatest number that evenly divides 2 and 4 is '2'. Now divide the top and the bottom by 2 to get your simplified fraction which is ½.
![How to simplify fractions picture]()
If you look at the picture above, you can see that the simplified fraction ½ and the original fraction (2/4) are equal. They both take up the same amount of the pizza.
Practice how to Simplify Fraction
Problem 1
Simplify the fraction
.
Remember the first step in how to simplify fraction is to identify the largest number that divides both the numerator (3) and the denominator (6).
3 is what we want because it evenly divides both 3 and 6. The final simplified fraction is ½. (see picture for visual)
Problem 2
.
Problem 3
Simplify the following fraction
.
Remember the first step in how to simplify fraction is to identify the largest number that divides both the numerator (2) and the denominator (10).
2 is what we want because it evenly divides both 2 and 10. The final simplified fraction is
.
(see picture for visual)
Problem 4
.
Problem 5
Simplify the following fraction
.
Remember the first step in how to simplify fraction is to identify the largest number that divides both the numerator (6) and the denominator (8).
2 is what we want because it evenly divides both 6 and 8. The final simplified fraction is
.
(see picture for visual).
Problem 6
Simplify the following fraction
.
Remember the first thing to do is identify the largest number that divides both the numerator (12) and the denominator (15).
3 is what we want because it evenly divides both. The answer is
.
(see picture for visual)
Problem 7
Simplify the following fraction
.
Remember the first step in how to simplify fraction is to identify the largest number that divides both the numerator (12) and the denominator (28).
4 is what we want because it evenly divides both. The answer is
.
(see picture for visual)
