Q&A for How to Simplify an Improper Fraction

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What if I have a big numerator, like 124?

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As long as the denominator is less than 124 you have an improper fraction, and you can use the methods presented here to solve. The division method would be easiest, since drawing a model with 124 pieces would take some time.

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Question

What if I want to simplify it without making it a mixed number? Like simplifying it into a regular fraction?

Donagan

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You cannot convert an improper fraction into a proper fraction.

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Question

How do I reduce 42 by 18 5/9?

Donagan

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First change 42 to 41 9/9. Then subtract 18 from 41, and subtract 5/9 from 9/9. The difference is 23 4/9.

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Question

How do I simplify, to the lowest term, 15/6?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Divide both numerator and denominator by the largest factor that both numbers have in common. 15 = 5x3. 6 = 2x3. Therefore, 3 is the largest common factor. Divide 3 into both the numerator and denominator to simplify the fraction to its lowest terms.

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How do I simplify 11 28/24?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Change 28/24 to 1 4/24. Combine the "1" with the "11" and we have 12 4/24, which simplifies to 12 1/6.

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What is the simplest form of 15/12.

Donagan

Top Answerer

It reduces to 5/4 or 1¼.

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Question

How would I simplify 42/24?

Donagan

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First divide both the numerator and the denominator by 2 to get the fraction 21/12. Then divide both the new numerator and new denominator by 3 to get the fraction 7/4. (You can also arrive at the same result by dividing the original numerator and denominator by 6, which is 2 x 3.) That's as far as the fraction will reduce, because there is no whole number that will divide evenly into both the numerator and the denominator of this last fraction. So the final answer is 7/4 or 1¾.

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If I multiply both terms of 2/3 by 4, what do I get?

Donagan

Top Answerer

If you multiply both numerator and denominator by 4, you get 8/12 or 2/3. In other words, you're multiplying 2/3 by 4/4, which is multiplying by 1.

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How do I simplify 18/21?

Community Answer

Divide the numerator and denominator by 3. That makes 6/7.

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What is 32/24? Either my math teacher is not smart or I'm not doing it right.

Community Answer

32/24 = 4/3 = 1 1/3. (It's quite likely that your math teacher is smart.)

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How do I reduce 12/6 in lowest terms?

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12/6 = 2/1 = 2.

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Convert 32/5 to an improper fraction.

Community Answer

32/5 is already an improper fraction. If you want to convert it to a mixed number (mixed fraction), divide the numerator by the denominator. 32 ÷ 5 = 6 with a remainder of 2, which, as a mixed number, is 6 2/5.

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Question

What is 12/6 simplified?

I_l1ke_gam3s

Community Answer

12/6 = 2/1 = 2.

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What is the sum of 3/4 + 4/5?

I_l1ke_gam3s

Community Answer

3/4 + 4/5 = 15/20 + 16/20 = 31/20 = 1 11/20.

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How do I reduce the improper fraction 20/8?

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Reduce by dividing both numerator and denominator by the largest possible number that will divide evenly into both, in this case 4. 20/8 = 5/2. (You can also express this as 2 1/2.)

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