Free printable and online worksheets to help Grade 5 students practice reducing fractions to lowest terms. Sometimes reducing fractions is also called simplifying fractions. Scroll down the page for reducing fraction word problems with answers.
Method 1: Use Repeated Division
To reduce a proper fraction, which is a fraction where the numerator is smaller than the denominator, to its lowest terms, you can follow these steps:
Step 1: Start with the given fraction you want to reduce.
Step 2: Choose a number that can divide both the numerator (top part) and the denominator (bottom part) of the fraction. Try dividing by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7.
Step 3: Keep repeating step 2 until the numerator and denominator have no common factors other than 1.
Step 4: The resulting fraction, after repeated division, is the reduced or simplified form of the given fraction.
Here’s an example to illustrate the process:
Example:
Reduce the fraction 12/18 using repeated division.
Step 1: Given fraction: 12/18
Step 2: Try dividing by 2
12 ÷ 2 = 6
18 ÷ 2 = 9
The fraction is now 6/9
Step 3: Try dividing by 3
6 ÷ 3 = 2
9 ÷ 3 = 3
The fraction is now 2/3
Step 3: There are no common factors left other than 1, so we can stop here.
The reduced form of the fraction 12/18 using repeated division is 2/3.
Method 2: Use the Greatest Common Divisor
Step 1: Find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the numerator and the denominator. The GCD is the largest positive integer that divides both the numerator and the denominator without leaving a remainder.
Step 2: Divide both the numerator and the denominator by their GCD.
Step 3: Write the simplified fraction using the reduced numerator and denominator.
Here’s an example:
Reduce the Fraction: 12/18
Step 1: Find the GCD of 12 and 18. The factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. The factors of 18 are 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 18. The GCD of 12 and 18 is 6.
Step 2: Divide both the numerator and the denominator by 6.
12 ÷ 6 = 2
18 ÷ 6 = 3
Step 3: Write the simplified fraction using the reduced numerator and denominator.
The simplified fraction of 12/18 is 2/3.
So, the reduced form of the fraction 12/18 is 2/3.
Example:
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