Simplifying fractions

The  exercise appears under the Arithmetic Math Mission and Pre-algebra Math Mission. This exercise practices reducing fractions to lowest terms.

Types of Problems
There is one type of problem in this exercise:


 * 1) Simplify the fraction into lowest terms: This problem gives the student a fraction that has a common factor in the numerator and denominator. The student is expected to reduce the fraction into lowest terms and write it in the space provided.Simpfrac1.png

Strategies
Knowledge of fractions should be sufficient to complete this exercise accurately and efficiently since typically simplification of fractions is one of the first techniques taught when learning the fractions.
 * 1) Reducing fractions works because effectively one is multiplying by one, i.e., applying the Multiplication Identity Property.
 * 2) When reducing fractions, one should divide both numerator and denominator by the same number leaving integers in the numerator and denominator.
 * 3) Occasionally after reducing by a particular number, the fraction may still not be completely simplified and another round of reducing may be necessary (example: 4/8=2/4=1/2).
 * 4) The fraction is completely simplified when the numerator and denominator are relatively prime, that is, they have no common factors except one.

Real-life applications

 * 1) Reducing fractions is an arithmetic application of greatest common factor, which is a vital factoring technique in Algebra II and beyond.
 * 2) Reducing fractions is used in everyday calculation to simplify arithmetic problems into smaller numbers.