CLASS-5
REDUCING FRACTIONS TO THEIR LOWEST TERM

Reducing Fractions To Their Lowest Term -

To reduce a given fraction to its lowest term, we divide the numerator and denominator of the given fraction by their common factors.Example

(1) Reduce the following fraction to its lowest form:

    64          64 ÷ 2         32

 ------- = ---------- = -------  [dividing by their common factor 2]

   128         128 ÷ 2        64

       32         32 ÷ 2          16

=> ------- = ---------- = ------- [dividing by their common factor 2]

       64         64 ÷ 2          32

       16        16 ÷ 16         1

 => ------ = ---------- = ------ [dividing by their common factor 16]

       32        32 ÷ 16         2

Above process is step by step deduction to find lowest term, if we recall number table of 64, then we can find lowest term directly and easily.

    64         64 ÷ 64         1

 ------- = ---------- = ------

   128        128 ÷ 64        2



(2) Reduce the following fraction to its lowest form:

    66          66 ÷ 2         33

 ------- = ---------- = -------  [dividing by their common factor 2]

   132         132 ÷ 2        66

       33         33 ÷ 3          11

=> ------- = ---------- = ------- [dividing by their common factor 3]

       66         66 ÷ 3          22

       11        11 ÷ 11         1

 => ------ = ---------- = ------ [dividing by their common factor 11]

       22        22 ÷ 11         2

Above process is step by step deduction to find lowest term, if we recall number table of 66, then we can find lowest term directly and easily.

    66         66 ÷ 66         1

 ------- = ---------- = ------

   132        132 ÷ 66        2