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: 19/62
19/62 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 19 is a prime number.
- 62 = 2 × 31
- GCF (19; 62) = 1
The fraction: 22/66
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 22 = 2 × 11
- 66 = 2 × 3 × 11
- 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 (22; 66) = 2 × 11 = 22
22/66 = (22 ÷ 22)/(66 ÷ 22) = 1/3
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
22/66 = (2 × 11)/(2 × 3 × 11) = ((2 × 11) ÷ (2 × 11))/((2 × 3 × 11) ÷ (2 × 11)) = 1/3