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: 49/101
49/101 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 49 = 72
- 101 is a prime number.
- GCF (49; 101) = 1
The fraction: 55/110
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 55 = 5 × 11
- 110 = 2 × 5 × 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 (55; 110) = 5 × 11 = 55
55/110 = (55 ÷ 55)/(110 ÷ 55) = 1/2
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
55/110 = (5 × 11)/(2 × 5 × 11) = ((5 × 11) ÷ (5 × 11))/((2 × 5 × 11) ÷ (5 × 11)) = 1/2