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:
7,500,018 = 2 × 3 × 1,250,003
7,500,018 is a composite number.
9,000,003 = 3 × 853 × 3,517
9,000,003 is a composite number.
7,500,018/9,000,003 =
(7,500,018 ÷ 3) / (9,000,003 ÷ 3) =
2,500,006/3,000,001
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.
7,500,018/9,000,003 =
(2 × 3 × 1,250,003)/(3 × 853 × 3,517) =
((2 × 3 × 1,250,003) ÷ 3) / ((3 × 853 × 3,517) ÷ 3) =
(2 × 1,250,003)/(853 × 3,517) =
2,500,006/3,000,001
As a decimal number:
Simply divide the numerator by the denominator, without a remainder, as shown below:
2,500,006/3,000,001 =
2,500,006 ÷ 3,000,001 =
0.833335055555 ≈
0.83