Detailed calculations and explanations, below
A common ordinary fraction is made up of
two integer numbers and a fraction bar:
- 9/1,245
Write the sign of the number in front of the fraction:
- 9/1,245 = - 9/1,245
- The integer number above the bar is called numerator: 9
- The integer number below the bar is called denominator: 1,245
- 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 = - 9 ÷ 1,245
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:
9 = 3 × 3 = 32
9 is a composite number.
1,245 = 3 × 5 × 83
1,245 is a composite number.
- 9/1,245 =
- (9 ÷ 3) / (1,245 ÷ 3) =
- 3/415
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.
- 9/1,245 =
- 32/(3 × 5 × 83) =
- (32 ÷ 3) / ((3 × 5 × 83) ÷ 3) =
- 3/(5 × 83) =
- 3/415