REDUCING PROPER FRACTIONS

Concept: REDUCING a fraction means finding an equal fraction with a smaller numerator and denominator. The fraction is reduced to LOWEST TERMS when there is no number other than 1 that will divide evenly into both the numerator and the denominator.

Numerator 1 2 Denominator

Steps for Reducing Fractions

Step 1 | Write the fraction.
Step 2 | Divide both the numerator and the denominator by the same number.
Step 3 | To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms, continue dividing both the numerator and the denominator by the same number until there is no number other than 1 that will divide evenly into both.
Step 4 | Write the reduced fraction.

Example Reduce the fraction to the lowest terms.

Step 1 | Write the fraction. | 480 800
Step 2 | Divide both the numerator and the denominator by the same number. | 480 ÷ 2 = 240 800 ÷ 2 = 400
Step 3 | To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms, continue dividing both the numerator and the denominator by the same number until there is no number other than 1 that will divide evenly into both. | 240 ÷ 2 = 120 400 ÷ 2 = 200
Step 3 | To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms, continue dividing both the numerator and the denominator by the same number until there is no number other than 1 that will divide evenly into both. | 120 ÷ 2 = 60 200 ÷ 2 = 100
Step 3 | To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms, continue dividing both the numerator and the denominator by the same number until there is no number other than 1 that will divide evenly into both. | 60 ÷ 2 = 30 100 ÷ 2 = 50
Step 3 | To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms, continue dividing both the numerator and the denominator by the same number until there is no number other than 1 that will divide evenly into both. | 30 ÷ 2 = 15 50 ÷ 2 = 25
Step 3 | To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms, continue dividing both the numerator and the denominator by the same number until there is no number other than 1 that will divide evenly into both. | 15 ÷ 5 = 3 25 ÷ 5 = 5
Step 4 | Write the reduced fraction. | 3 5
| This same example can be solved many different ways. The divisor need not be 2. It could just as easily be 5, or 10, or 20, or many other numbers. Try using 20 as the divisor. |
Step 1 | Write the fraction. | 480 800
Step 2 | Divide both the numerator and the denominator by the same number. | 480 ÷ 20 = 24 800 ÷ 20 = 40
Step 3 | To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms, continue dividing both the numerator and the denominator by the same number until there is no number other than 1 that will divide evenly into both. | 24 ÷ 4 = 6 40 ÷ 4 = 10
Step 3 | To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms, continue dividing both the numerator and the denominator by the same number until there is no number other than 1 that will divide evenly into both. | 6 ÷ 2 = 3 10 ÷ 2 = 5
Step 4 | Write the reduced fraction. | 3 5