Detailed calculations and explanations, below
A common ordinary fraction is made up of
two integer numbers and a fraction bar:
3,230/ - 34
Write the sign of the number in front of the fraction:
3,230/ - 34 = - 3,230/34
- The integer number above the bar is called numerator: 3,230
- The integer number below the bar is called denominator: 34
- 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 = - 3,230 ÷ 34
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:
3,230 = 2 × 5 × 17 × 19
3,230 is a composite number.
34 = 2 × 17
34 is a composite number.
- 3,230/34 =
- (3,230 ÷ 34) / (34 ÷ 34) =
- 95/1 =
95
* 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.
- 3,230/34 =
- (2 × 5 × 17 × 19)/(2 × 17) =
- ((2 × 5 × 17 × 19) ÷ (2 × 17)) / ((2 × 17) ÷ (2 × 17)) =
- (5 × 19)/1 =
- (5 × 19) =
- 95
* When it's 1, the denominator of the fraction can be omitted.