Simplify Fractions Calculator

Understanding Fraction Simplification

What is Fraction Simplification?

Fraction simplification, also known as fraction reduction, is the process of reducing a fraction to its lowest terms. This means finding the smallest whole numbers for the numerator and denominator that maintain the same ratio as the original fraction.

Formula for Simplifying Fractions

The general formula for simplifying a fraction is:

\[\text{Simplified Fraction} = \frac{\text{Numerator} \div \text{GCD}}{\text{Denominator} \div \text{GCD}}\]

Where:

• GCD is the Greatest Common Divisor of the numerator and denominator

Steps to Simplify a Fraction

1. Find the GCD of the numerator and denominator
2. Divide both the numerator and denominator by the GCD
3. The resulting fraction is in its simplest form

Calculation Example

Let's simplify the fraction 24/36:

1. Find the GCD of 24 and 36: GCD(24, 36) = 12
2. Divide both 24 and 36 by 12:
   • 24 ÷ 12 = 2
   • 36 ÷ 12 = 3
3. The simplified fraction is 2/3

Visual Representation

Here's a visual representation of simplifying 24/36 to 2/3:

This diagram shows that the fraction 24/36 is equivalent to the simplified fraction 2/3.