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: - 20/60
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 20 = 22 × 5
- 60 = 22 × 3 × 5
- 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 (20; 60) = 22 × 5 = 20
- 20/60 = - (20 ÷ 20)/(60 ÷ 20) = - 1/3
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
- 20/60 = - (22 × 5)/(22 × 3 × 5) = - ((22 × 5) ÷ (22 × 5))/((22 × 3 × 5) ÷ (22 × 5)) = - 1/3
The fraction: - 29/69
- 29/69 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 29 is a prime number.
- 69 = 3 × 23
- GCF (29; 69) = 1