Detailed calculations and explanations, below
A common ordinary fraction is made up of
two integer numbers and a fraction bar:
- 14/1,942
Write the sign of the number in front of the fraction:
- 14/1,942 = - 14/1,942
- The integer number above the bar is called numerator: 14
- The integer number below the bar is called denominator: 1,942
- The sign of the fraction: - (a negative value).
- The fraction bar means that the numerator is divided by the denominator.
- To get the fraction's value divide the numerator by the denominator:
The value = - 14 ÷ 1,942
To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms equivalent: divide the numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor, GCF
To calculate the greatest common factor, GCF:
- 1. Factor the numerator and the denominator (into prime factors), build their prime factorizations.
- 2. Multiply all their common prime factors, taken by the lowest exponents.
1. Factor the numerator and the denominator:
To factor a number (into prime factors) - or, in other words, to break it down to prime factors - or, in other words, to build its prime factorization: find the prime numbers that multiply together to get that number.
The prime factorizations:
14 = 2 × 7
14 is a composite number.
1,942 = 2 × 971
1,942 is a composite number.
- 14/1,942 =
- (14 ÷ 2) / (1,942 ÷ 2) =
- 7/971
Yet another method to reduce the fraction
To reduce a fraction without calculating the GCF: factor its numerator and denominator, then all the common prime factors are easily identified and crossed out.
- 14/1,942 =
- (2 × 7)/(2 × 971) =
- ((2 × 7) ÷ 2) / ((2 × 971) ÷ 2) =
- 7/971