Simplifying Fractions

Key vocabulary:

Simplify – To make something simpler or easier to understand

Factor – A number that divided from a given number without a remainder

E.g. factors of 10 are 1 and 10, 2 and 5 because when you multiply 1 x 10 you get 10 and when you multiply 2 x 5 you get 10.

Highest Common factor – A number that divides into two different given numbers without a remainder – we are looking for the highest common factor which means that largest value factor we can use.

 E.g. A common factor of 18 and 12 is 6 because 18 and 12 can both be divided by 6

Learning:

Sometimes, we may come across a fraction in a greater form that can be simplified down.

To simplify a fraction, we need to find a common factor of both the numerator and denominator.

Let's look at:

For 5/10 we can identify the factors using a factor tree

5 = (1 x 5)

10 = (1x10) (2x5)

We can then identify the HCF (highest common factor) as a 5

Now use this 5 to divide our existing numerator and denominator by:

Therefore our simplest form of 5/10 = 1/2

Now let's look at:

First identify the factors:

 4 = (1x4) (2x2)

12 (1x12) (2x6) (3x4)

Now, identify the HCF which we can see is 4

 Use this 4 to divide the existing numerator and denominator

4 / 4 = 1

12 / 4 = 3

= 1/3

NEXT: Watch the video to explain this further and then answer the questions by clicking download at the bottom of this page.