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How Do You Reduce A Fraction?

Reduce the fraction 66/12

Summary

  1. 66/12 is an improper fraction
  2. The greatest common factor of 66 and 12 is 6
  3. Divide the numerator, 66, and the denominator, 12, each by 6
  4. 66/12 reduces to 11/2
  5. To convert to a mixed fraction, divide 11 by 2
  6. 5 is the whole number of the mixed fraction
  7. 1 is the numerator of the mixed fraction
  8. 2 is the denominator of the mixed fraction

Notes

    1. To find the greatest common factor:
    2. Break 66 and 12 each into its prime factors
    3. 66 has prime factors of 2, 3, and 11
    4. 12 has prime factors of 2, 2, and 3
    5. Multiply the common factors, 2 and 3
    6. 2•3=6
    7. 6 is the greatest common factor
    1. We need to divide both the numerator and denominator by the greatest common factor, 6
    1. Dividing by 6 in both the numerator and the denominator is the same as dividing the fraction by 6/6
    2. 6/6 is equal to 1
    3. And dividing by 1 won't change the value of our fraction
    1. Divide the numerator, 66, by the greatest common factor, 6, to get 11
    2. Divide the denominator, 12, by the greatest common factor, 6, to get 2
    1. 66/12 reduces to the improper fraction 11/2
    1. A mixed fraction is a combination of a whole number and a fraction
    2. We can rewrite our improper fraction, 11/2, as a mixed fraction
    1. The improper fraction 11/2 is the same as 11 divided by 2
    1. The whole number we get when we divide becomes the whole number of the mixed fraction
    2. In our case, this number is 5
    1. The remainder we get when we divide becomes the numerator of the mixed fraction
    2. In our case, this number is 1
    1. We keep the same denominator, 2
    1. 66/12, 11/2, and 5 1/2 are all different ways of writing the same fraction