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: - 187/269
- 187/269 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 187 = 11 × 17
- 269 is a prime number.
- GCF (187; 269) = 1
The fraction: - 206/311
- 206/311 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 206 = 2 × 103
- 311 is a prime number.
- GCF (206; 311) = 1
The fraction: - 186/290
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 186 = 2 × 3 × 31
- 290 = 2 × 5 × 29
- 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 (186; 290) = 2
- 186/290 = - (186 ÷ 2)/(290 ÷ 2) = - 93/145
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
- 186/290 = - (2 × 3 × 31)/(2 × 5 × 29) = - ((2 × 3 × 31) ÷ 2)/((2 × 5 × 29) ÷ 2) = - 93/145
The fraction: - 180/324
- 180 = 22 × 32 × 5
- 324 = 22 × 34
- GCF (180; 324) = 22 × 32 = 36
- 180/324 = - (180 ÷ 36)/(324 ÷ 36) = - 5/9
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
- 180/324 = - (22 × 32 × 5)/(22 × 34) = - ((22 × 32 × 5) ÷ (22 × 32))/((22 × 34) ÷ (22 × 32)) = - 5/9
The fraction: - 178/388
- 178 = 2 × 89
- 388 = 22 × 97
- GCF (178; 388) = 2
- 178/388 = - (178 ÷ 2)/(388 ÷ 2) = - 89/194
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
- 178/388 = - (2 × 89)/(22 × 97) = - ((2 × 89) ÷ 2)/((22 × 97) ÷ 2) = - 89/194
Calculate the expanding number of each fraction:
Divide the LCM by the numerator of each fraction.
- 187/269 ⟶ 1,594,232,970 ÷ 187 = (2 × 3 × 5 × 11 × 17 × 31 × 89 × 103) ÷ (11 × 17) = 8,525,310
- 206/311 ⟶ 1,594,232,970 ÷ 206 = (2 × 3 × 5 × 11 × 17 × 31 × 89 × 103) ÷ (2 × 103) = 7,738,995
- 93/145 ⟶ 1,594,232,970 ÷ 93 = (2 × 3 × 5 × 11 × 17 × 31 × 89 × 103) ÷ (3 × 31) = 17,142,290
- 5/9 ⟶ 1,594,232,970 ÷ 5 = (2 × 3 × 5 × 11 × 17 × 31 × 89 × 103) ÷ 5 = 318,846,594
- 89/194 ⟶ 1,594,232,970 ÷ 89 = (2 × 3 × 5 × 11 × 17 × 31 × 89 × 103) ÷ 89 = 17,912,730
Make the numerators of the fractions the same:
- Expand each fraction: multiply both its numerator and denominator by its corresponding expanding number, calculated above.
- This way all the fractions will have the same numerator:
- 187/269 = - (8,525,310 × 187)/(8,525,310 × 269) = - 1,594,232,970/2,293,308,390
- 206/311 = - (7,738,995 × 206)/(7,738,995 × 311) = - 1,594,232,970/2,406,827,445
- 93/145 = - (17,142,290 × 93)/(17,142,290 × 145) = - 1,594,232,970/2,485,632,050
- 5/9 = - (318,846,594 × 5)/(318,846,594 × 9) = - 1,594,232,970/2,869,619,346
- 89/194 = - (17,912,730 × 89)/(17,912,730 × 194) = - 1,594,232,970/3,475,069,620