Detailed calculations and explanations, below
A common ordinary fraction is made up of
two integer numbers and a fraction bar:
123,704/ - 4
Write the sign of the number in front of the fraction:
123,704/ - 4 = - 123,704/4
- The integer number above the bar is called numerator: 123,704
- The integer number below the bar is called denominator: 4
- 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 = - 123,704 ÷ 4
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:
123,704 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 7 × 47 × 47 = 23 × 7 × 472
123,704 is a composite number.
Written with exponents:
4 = 2 × 2 = 22
4 is a composite number.
- 123,704/4 =
- (123,704 ÷ 4) / (4 ÷ 4) =
- 30,926/1 =
30,926
* 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.
- 123,704/4 =
- (23 × 7 × 472)/22 =
- ((23 × 7 × 472) ÷ 22) / (22 ÷ 22) =
- (2 × 7 × 472)/1 =
- (2 × 7 × 472) =
- 30,926
* When it's 1, the denominator of the fraction can be omitted.
As a percentage:
- A percentage value p% is equal to the fraction: p/100, for any decimal number p. So, we need to change the form of the number calculated above, to show a denominator of 100.
- To do that, multiply the number by the fraction 100/100.
- The value of the fraction 100/100 = 1, so by multiplying the number by this fraction the result is not changing, only the form.
- 30,926 =
- 30,926 × 100/100 =
( - 30,926 × 100)/100 =
- 3,092,600/100 =
- 3,092,600%
- In other words:
- (1) Calculate the fraction's value, (2) multiply that number by 100, and (3) add the percent sign % to it.
The final answer:
written in three ways