Detailed calculations and explanations, below
A common ordinary fraction is made up of
two integer numbers and a fraction bar:
1,035/ - 9
Write the sign of the number in front of the fraction:
1,035/ - 9 = - 1,035/9
- The integer number above the bar is called numerator: 1,035
- The integer number below the bar is called denominator: 9
- 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 = - 1,035 ÷ 9
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:
1,035 = 3 × 3 × 5 × 23 = 32 × 5 × 23
1,035 is a composite number.
Written with exponents:
9 = 3 × 3 = 32
9 is a composite number.
- 1,035/9 =
- (1,035 ÷ 9) / (9 ÷ 9) =
- 115/1 =
115
* 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.
- 1,035/9 =
- (32 × 5 × 23)/32 =
- ((32 × 5 × 23) ÷ 32) / (32 ÷ 32) =
- (5 × 23)/1 =
- (5 × 23) =
- 115
* When it's 1, the denominator of the fraction can be omitted.