Fractions VI
Simplifying Fractions
By Monica Yuskaitis
Factor

A number that divides
evenly into another.
Factors of 24 are 1,2, 3, 4, 6,
8, 12 and 24.

What are the factors of 9?

Factors of 9 are 1, 3 and 9.
What are the factors of 10?

Factors of 10 are 1, 5 and 10.
What are the factors of 7?

Factors of 7 are 1 and 7.
What are the factors of 56?
Factors of 56 are 1, 2, 4, 7, 8,
14, 28, and 56.

Common Factor
When two numbers have the
same factor it is called a common
factor.
 A common factor of 12 and 6
is 3.

Name a Common Factor of
9 and 27?
1, 3, 9
Name a Common Factor of
4 and 8?
1, 2, 4
Name a Common Factor of
4 and 8?
1, 2, 4
Name a Common Factor of
15 and 30?
1, 3, 5, 15
Name a Common Factor of
12 and 48?
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12
Name a Common Factor of
9 and 21?
1, 3, 9,
Name a Common Factor of
10 and 25?
1, 5, 10
Name a Common Factor of
3 and 4?
1
Simplest Form

When the only common
factor of the numerator and
denominator is 1, the
fraction is in simplest form.
3
1
3
÷
=
4
1
4
Greatest Common Factor

The greatest common
factor is the largest factor
between two numbers.
12 = 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12
18 = 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18
What is the Greatest
Common Factor?
8 = 1, 2, 4, 8
12 = 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12
What is the Greatest
Common Factor?
8 = 1, 2, 4, 8
14 = 1, 2, 7,14
What is the Greatest
Common Factor?
6 = 1, 2, 3, 6
18 = 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 15
What is the Greatest
Common Factor?
6 = 1, 2, 3, 6
12 = 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12
What is the Greatest
Common Factor?
8 = 1, 2, 4, 8
16 = 1, 2, 4, 8, 16
What is the Greatest
Common Factor?
8 = 1, 2, 4, 8
10 = 1, 2, 5, 10
What is the Greatest
Common Factor?
3 = 1, 3
6 = 1, 2, 3, 6
What is the Greatest
Common Factor?
4 = 1, 2, 4
6 = 1, 2, 3, 6
What is the Greatest
Common Factor?
7 = 1, 7,
21 = 1, 3, 7, 21
What is the Greatest
Common Factor?
15 = 1, 3, 5, 15
24 = 1, 2, 3, 8, 12, 24
How to Find the Simplest Form
of a Fraction

Find the greatest common
factor of the numerator and the
denominator and divide both
the numerator and the
denominator by that number.
12
6
2
÷
=
18
6
3
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
12
6
2
÷ =
18
6
3
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
9
3
3
÷ =
21 3
7
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
12
4
3
÷ =
20 4
5
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
10
5
2
÷ =
15
5
3
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
10
2
5
÷ =
16
2
8
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
12
4
3
÷ =
16
4
4
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
3
3
1
÷ =
12
3
4
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
2
2
1
÷ =
8
2
4
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
2
2
1
÷ =
4
2
2
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
6
3
2
÷ =
9
3
3
Simplify or Reduce This
Fraction
6
2
3
÷ =
8
2
4