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: - 72/8
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 72 = 23 × 32
- 8 = 23
- 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 (72; 8) = 23 = 8
- 72/8 = - (72 ÷ 8)/(8 ÷ 8) = - 9/1 = - 9
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
- 72/8 = - (23 × 32)/23 = - ((23 × 32) ÷ 23)/(23 ÷ 23) = - 9/1 = - 9
Sort the integer numbers in ascending order.
This is a simple case of comparing and sorting integer numbers.
The integer numbers are a particular case of those fractions that have a denominator equal to 1.
::: The operation of comparing fractions :::
The final answer: