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: 8/13
8/13 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 8 = 23
- 13 is a prime number.
- GCF (8; 13) = 1
The fraction: 10/20
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 10 = 2 × 5
- 20 = 22 × 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 (10; 20) = 2 × 5 = 10
10/20 = (10 ÷ 10)/(20 ÷ 10) = 1/2
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
10/20 = (2 × 5)/(22 × 5) = ((2 × 5) ÷ (2 × 5))/((22 × 5) ÷ (2 × 5)) = 1/2