Detailed calculations and explanations, below
A common ordinary fraction is made up of
two integer numbers and a fraction bar:
- 2,540/5
Write the sign of the number in front of the fraction:
- 2,540/5 = - 2,540/5
- The integer number above the bar is called numerator: 2,540
- The integer number below the bar is called denominator: 5
- 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 = - 2,540 ÷ 5
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:
Written with exponents:
2,540 = 2 × 2 × 5 × 127 = 22 × 5 × 127
2,540 is a composite number.
5 is a prime number, it cannot be factored (into other prime factors).
- 2,540/5 =
- (2,540 ÷ 5) / (5 ÷ 5) =
- 508/1 =
508
* When it's 1, the denominator of the fraction can be omitted.
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.
- 2,540/5 =
- (22 × 5 × 127)/5 =
- ((22 × 5 × 127) ÷ 5) / (5 ÷ 5) =
- (22 × 127)/1 =
- (22 × 127) =
- 508
* When it's 1, the denominator of the fraction can be omitted.