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: - 8/43
- 8/43 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 8 = 23
- 43 is a prime number.
- GCF (8; 43) = 1
The fraction: - 10/50
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 10 = 2 × 5
- 50 = 2 × 52
- 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 (10; 50) = 2 × 5 = 10
- 10/50 = - (10 ÷ 10)/(50 ÷ 10) = - 1/5
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
- 10/50 = - (2 × 5)/(2 × 52) = - ((2 × 5) ÷ (2 × 5))/((2 × 52) ÷ (2 × 5)) = - 1/5