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: 314/13
314/13 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 314 = 2 × 157
- 13 is a prime number.
- GCF (314; 13) = 1
The fraction: 324/18
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 324 = 22 × 34
- 18 = 2 × 32
- 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 (324; 18) = 2 × 32 = 18
324/18 = (324 ÷ 18)/(18 ÷ 18) = 18/1 = 18
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
324/18 = (22 × 34)/(2 × 32) = ((22 × 34) ÷ (2 × 32))/((2 × 32) ÷ (2 × 32)) = 18/1 = 18