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: 9/7
9/7 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 9 = 32
- 7 is a prime number.
- GCF (9; 7) = 1
The fraction: 18/9
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 18 = 2 × 32
- 9 = 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 (18; 9) = 32 = 9
18/9 = (18 ÷ 9)/(9 ÷ 9) = 2/1 = 2
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
18/9 = (2 × 32)/32 = ((2 × 32) ÷ 32)/(32 ÷ 32) = 2/1 = 2