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: 14/59
14/59 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 14 = 2 × 7
- 59 is a prime number.
- GCF (14; 59) = 1
The fraction: 21/63
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 21 = 3 × 7
- 63 = 32 × 7
- 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 (21; 63) = 3 × 7 = 21
21/63 = (21 ÷ 21)/(63 ÷ 21) = 1/3
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
21/63 = (3 × 7)/(32 × 7) = ((3 × 7) ÷ (3 × 7))/((32 × 7) ÷ (3 × 7)) = 1/3