Detailed calculations and explanations, below
A common ordinary fraction is made up of
two integer numbers and a fraction bar:
3,360/ - 6
Write the sign of the number in front of the fraction:
3,360/ - 6 = - 3,360/6
- The integer number above the bar is called numerator: 3,360
- The integer number below the bar is called denominator: 6
- 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 = - 3,360 ÷ 6
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:
3,360 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 5 × 7 = 25 × 3 × 5 × 7
3,360 is a composite number.
6 = 2 × 3
6 is a composite number.
- 3,360/6 =
- (3,360 ÷ 6) / (6 ÷ 6) =
- 560/1 =
560
* 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.
- 3,360/6 =
- (25 × 3 × 5 × 7)/(2 × 3) =
- ((25 × 3 × 5 × 7) ÷ (2 × 3)) / ((2 × 3) ÷ (2 × 3)) =
- (24 × 5 × 7)/1 =
- (24 × 5 × 7) =
- 560
* When it's 1, the denominator of the fraction can be omitted.