GCF is a fraction smaller than both the fractions or equal to one or both of them (when both fractions are equal). When you take the GCF of the numerator and LCM of the denominator, you are making a fraction smaller than (or equal to) the numbers.
How can greatest common factors and least common multiples help you work with fractions?
The greatest common factor (GCF) can help you reduce fractions. For example, 8/12 reduces to 2/3 because 8/12 = (2*4)/(3*4) = 2/3. Note the ‘4’s in the numerator and denominator canceling. The lowest common multiple (LCM) is used to get the lowest common denominator (LCD) which is needed to add or subtract fractions.
How to reduce fractions by the GCF method?
Given below are the steps to reduce fractions by the GCF method. Step 1: Find the greatest common factor (GCF) of numerator and denominator. Step 2: Divide the numerator and denominator by the GCF. The fraction so obtained is the reduced fraction. Prime factorization is a way of expressing a number as a product of its prime factors.
How can GCF be used in real life?
We use greatest common factors all the time with fractions, and as fractions are used a lot in everyday life, this makes GCF very useful! By finding the GCF of the denominator and numerator, you can then successfully simplify a fraction or ratio. E.g. We can simplify 30 45 by knowing that its HCF is 15.
When to use the concept of GCF or LCM?
In which if we want to add or subtract two or more fractions, then we may have to use the concept LCM if the denominator of those fractions are not same. For multiplying and dividing two fractions we may have to use the concept GCF. If we want to reduce the fraction into its lowest form,then we have…
How to reduce the fraction of a numerator?
Prime Factorization Method 1 Find the prime factorization of both numerator and denominator. 2 Cancel out the common factors of the numerator and denominator. 3 Take away the remaining numbers in the numerator and denominator to find the reduced fraction.
