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:
123,714 = 2 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 29 × 79 = 2 × 33 × 29 × 79
123,714 is a composite number.
Written with exponents:
1,422 = 2 × 3 × 3 × 79 = 2 × 32 × 79
1,422 is a composite number.
123,714/1,422 =
(123,714 ÷ 1,422) / (1,422 ÷ 1,422) =
87/1 =
87
* 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.
123,714/1,422 =
(2 × 33 × 29 × 79)/(2 × 32 × 79) =
((2 × 33 × 29 × 79) ÷ (2 × 32 × 79)) / ((2 × 32 × 79) ÷ (2 × 32 × 79)) =
(3 × 29)/1 =
(3 × 29) =
87
* When it's 1, the denominator of the fraction can be omitted.