An irreducible fraction (or fraction in lowest terms, simplest form or reduced fraction) is a fraction in which the numerator and denominator are integers that have no other common divisors than 1 (and -1, when negative numbers are considered).
How do you simplify if the numerator and denominator are the same?
Notice that when you simplify a fraction, you divide the numerator and denominator by the same number, in the same way you multiply by the same number to find an equivalent fraction with a greater denominator. In the example above, you could have divided the numerator and denominator by 9, a common factor of 54 and 72.
How can you tell if a fraction is simplified?
How do you know if a fraction is fully reduced? Writing a fraction in its simplest form means that the top and bottom numbers can no longer be divided by the same whole number exactly or evenly (other than the number 1). For example, the fraction 2/3 is fully reduced.
When does a fraction need to be simplified?
A fraction is considered simplified if there are no common factors, other than 1 1, in the numerator and denominator. If a fraction does have common factors in the numerator and denominator, we can reduce the fraction to its simplified form by removing the common factors.
How to reduce the numerator of a fraction?
1 Write down the factors for the numerator and the denominator 2 Determine the largest factor that is common between the two 3 Divide the numerator and denominator by the greatest common factor 4 Write down the reduced fraction
How can you tell if a fraction is a multiple of the numerator?
Determine whether the denominator is a multiple of the numerator. One way to reduce a fraction is to divide by a greatest common factor. If the numerator is a multiple of the denominator, that means each can be divided by a greatest common factor (the numerator).
When to remove common factors from a fraction?
Anytime we have a common factor in the numerator and denominator, it can be removed. Simplify a fraction. Rewrite the numerator and denominator to show the common factors. If needed, factor the numerator and denominator into prime numbers. Simplify, using the equivalent fractions property, by removing common factors.
