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:
123,732 = 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 7 × 491 = 22 × 32 × 7 × 491
123,732 is a composite number.
Written with exponents:
1,964 = 2 × 2 × 491 = 22 × 491
1,964 is a composite number.
123,732/1,964 =
(123,732 ÷ 1,964) / (1,964 ÷ 1,964) =
63/1 =
63
* 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.
123,732/1,964 =
(22 × 32 × 7 × 491)/(22 × 491) =
((22 × 32 × 7 × 491) ÷ (22 × 491)) / ((22 × 491) ÷ (22 × 491)) =
(32 × 7)/1 =
(32 × 7) =
63
* When it's 1, the denominator of the fraction can be omitted.