How do you do a quotient in simplest form?

Answer 1

Suppose you have a quotient in the form X/Y where X and Y are integers, and you wish to find the simplest form of X/Y.

First find the highest common factor of X and Y.

Suppose HCF(X, Y) = H

Then calculate A = X/H and B = Y/H

The simplest form is A/B.

If you do not know what the HCF is or the HCF is too hard to find then just find any common factor, F. That is, any number that will divide both X and Y.

Then a simpler equivalent of X/Y is (X/F)/(Y/F). Find another common factor and repeat. Keep going until you cannot find a common factor. Your last "simpler equivalent" is the answer.