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:
123,750 = 2 × 3 × 3 × 5 × 5 × 5 × 5 × 11 = 2 × 32 × 54 × 11
123,750 is a composite number.
Written with exponents:
250 = 2 × 5 × 5 × 5 = 2 × 53
250 is a composite number.
123,750/250 =
(123,750 ÷ 250) / (250 ÷ 250) =
495/1 =
495
* 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.
123,750/250 =
(2 × 32 × 54 × 11)/(2 × 53) =
((2 × 32 × 54 × 11) ÷ (2 × 53)) / ((2 × 53) ÷ (2 × 53)) =
(32 × 5 × 11)/1 =
(32 × 5 × 11) =
495
* When it's 1, the denominator of the fraction can be omitted.