Detailed calculations and explanations, below
A common ordinary fraction is made up of
two integer numbers and a fraction bar:
16,666,666,718/29,999,999,942
- The integer number above the bar is called numerator: 16,666,666,718
- The integer number below the bar is called denominator: 29,999,999,942
- 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 = 16,666,666,718 ÷ 29,999,999,942
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:
16,666,666,718 = 2 × 13 × 641,025,643
16,666,666,718 is a composite number.
29,999,999,942 = 2 × 11 × 1,363,636,361
29,999,999,942 is a composite number.
16,666,666,718/29,999,999,942 =
(16,666,666,718 ÷ 2) / (29,999,999,942 ÷ 2) =
8,333,333,359/14,999,999,971
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.
16,666,666,718/29,999,999,942 =
(2 × 13 × 641,025,643)/(2 × 11 × 1,363,636,361) =
((2 × 13 × 641,025,643) ÷ 2) / ((2 × 11 × 1,363,636,361) ÷ 2) =
(13 × 641,025,643)/(11 × 1,363,636,361) =
8,333,333,359/14,999,999,971
As a decimal number:
Simply divide the numerator by the denominator, without a remainder, as shown below:
8,333,333,359/14,999,999,971 =
8,333,333,359 ÷ 14,999,999,971 =
0.555555558341 ≈
0.56