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: 19/43
19/43 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 19 is a prime number.
- 43 is a prime number.
- GCF (19; 43) = 1
The fraction: 24/48
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 24 = 23 × 3
- 48 = 24 × 3
- 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 (24; 48) = 23 × 3 = 24
24/48 = (24 ÷ 24)/(48 ÷ 24) = 1/2
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
24/48 = (23 × 3)/(24 × 3) = ((23 × 3) ÷ (23 × 3))/((24 × 3) ÷ (23 × 3)) = 1/2