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: 35/233
35/233 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 35 = 5 × 7
- 233 is a prime number.
- GCF (35; 233) = 1
The fraction: 40/240
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 40 = 23 × 5
- 240 = 24 × 3 × 5
- 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 (40; 240) = 23 × 5 = 40
40/240 = (40 ÷ 40)/(240 ÷ 40) = 1/6
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
40/240 = (23 × 5)/(24 × 3 × 5) = ((23 × 5) ÷ (23 × 5))/((24 × 3 × 5) ÷ (23 × 5)) = 1/6