The greatest common factor, or GCF, is the largest positive integer that will divide evenly with no remainder into all the members of a given set of numbers. When applied to a numerator and a denominator, it is a way to reduce equivalent fractions to their simplest form. The GCF of 6 and 9 is 3. If you divide 6 and 9 by 3, you get 2 and 3. 6/9 = 2/3 The GCF of 2 and 3 is 1. If the GCF of a numerator and a denominator is 1, the fraction is in its simplest form.
Here is an example. The fraction to simplify is 6/12. See if there is a common factor between the numerator and the denominator. In this case, 3 happens to be a common factor. Divide numerator and denominator by 3. The result is 2/4. See if there are more common factors, and repeat. Dividing numerator and denominator by 2, you get 1/2. You could also have divided numerator and denominator of the original fraction by 6, with the same final result - but sometimes it is easier to do it in parts.
You look for common factors in numerator and denominator. If you find one, you divide both numerator and denominator by the common factor. For example, 8/14 has the common factor 2; if you divide top and bottom by 2, you get 6/7.
To simplify or reduce an improper fraction, you can divide the numerator and denominator by the greatest common factor of both numbers. For example, if you are given the fraction 36/60; the common factors of the numerator (36) are 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 18. The common factors of the denominator are 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, and 20. We can see that 12 is the largest common factor between the numerator and denominator. Divide the numerator and denominator by 12: 36 / 12 = 3, and 60 / 12 = 5. We see that the fraction reduces to 3/5.
you take a fraction say, 6/12 and you find the GCF (Greatest common factor) of both of the numbers. in this case It would be 6 because 6 is the GCF (Greatest common factor)
You find a common factor between numerator and denominator. Then, you divide numerator and denominator between this factor. Continue, until there are no more common factors. Here are some examples: 4/10 - common factor is 2: 4/10 = (4/2) / (10/2) = 2/5. 12/18 - common factor is 6: 12/18 = (12/6) / (18/6) = 2/3. You don't need to figure out the greatest common factor: 60/80 = 6/8 = 3/4 (first I divided numerator and denominator by 10, then I continued searching for further factors; finding the factor 2). (x3 + 3x2) / 5x - divide by the common factor x, with the result (x2 + 3x) / 5.
1 and 2
In the fraction, 2/6, the 2 is the numerator and the 6 is the denominator.
2 as the numerator and 6 as the denominator in simplest form is 1 as the numerator and 3 as the denominator.
Just as you simplify any other fraction: Divide both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor. (It's 6.)
Denominator = numerator * 6.
18/21 and by dividing the numerator and denominator by the highest common factor which is 3 it is simplified to 6/7