Simplify the operation
Reduce (simplify) the fractions to their lowest terms equivalents:
- To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms equivalent: divide both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor, GCF.
The fraction: - 1/25
- 1/25 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 1 cannot be factored into other prime factors.
- 25 = 52
- GCF (1; 25) = 1
The fraction: - 4/32
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 4 = 22
- 32 = 25
- Multiply all the common prime factors: if there are repeating prime factors we only take them once, and only the ones having the lowest exponent (the lowest powers).
- GCF (4; 32) = 22 = 4
- 4/32 = - (4 ÷ 4)/(32 ÷ 4) = - 1/8
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
- 4/32 = - 22/25 = - (22 ÷ 22)/(25 ÷ 22) = - 1/8
The fractions have the same numerator, compare their denominators.
This is one of the simplest cases when comparing two fractions.
The larger the denominator the larger the negative fraction.
The larger the denominator the smaller the positive fraction.
::: The operation of comparing fractions :::
The final answer: