Changing

Fractions
to Lowest
Terms
A fraction is in its lowest term if the only
number that can divide both the
numerator and the denominator is 1.

4 Since the only number that can

divide 4 and 11 is 1, then it is
already in its lowest term
11
A fraction is in its lowest term if the only
number that can divide both the
numerator and the denominator is 1.

4 ÷4 1
=
12 ÷ 4 3
We can still divide 4 and 12 by 4. So,
4
is not yet in its lowest term
12
Circle yellow all fractions that are in lowest
term. Box blue the fractions that are not yet in
lowest term.
 Fraction
- A part of a whole. It represents one or
more equal parts of a whole object.
3 numerator
Fraction bar

4 denominator
- A fraction is a part of a set.
Two methods that we can use to
change fractions to lowest term
Using GCF

Cancellation method
 Using GCF

To change a fraction to its lowest term,

simply divide the numerator and
denominator by their GCF.
𝑬𝒙𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆:
𝟖
𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎
𝟐𝟒

Step 1: Find the GCF of the numerator and denominator.

The GCF of 8 and 24 is 8.

Step 2: Divide the numerator and denominator by their GCF.

𝟖 𝟖 𝟏
÷ =
𝟐𝟒 𝟖 𝟑
𝑬𝒙𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆:
𝟐𝟓
𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎
𝟑𝟎

Step 1: Find the GCF of the numerator and denominator.

The GCF of 25 and 30 is 5.

Step 2: Divide the numerator and denominator by their GCF.

𝟐𝟓 𝟓 𝟓
÷ =
𝟑𝟎 𝟓 𝟔
𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑻𝒓𝒚!
𝟏𝟎
𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎
𝟒𝟓
𝑨𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚:
Cancellation method

Using this method, we will write the

prime factorization of the numerator
and the denominator. Then, we will
cancel the common and simplify.
𝑬𝒙𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆:
𝟖
𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎
𝟐𝟒

Step 1: Write the prime factorization of the numerator and

the denominator.
𝟖 𝟐𝒙𝟐𝒙𝟐
=
𝟐𝟒 𝟐𝒙𝟐𝒙𝟐𝒙𝟑
Step 2: Cancel the common factors
𝟖 𝟐𝒙𝟐𝒙𝟐 𝟏
= =
𝟐𝟒 𝟐𝒙𝟐𝒙𝟐𝒙𝟑 𝟑
𝑬𝒙𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆:
𝟐𝟔
𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎
𝟔𝟓

Step 1: Write the prime factorization of the numerator and

the denominator.
𝟐𝟔 𝟐𝒙𝟏𝟑
=
𝟔𝟓 𝟓 𝒙𝟏𝟑
Step 2: Cancel the common factors
𝟐𝟔 𝟐𝒙𝟏𝟑 𝟐
= =
𝟔𝟓 𝟓 𝒙𝟏𝟑 𝟓
𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑻𝒓𝒚!
𝟏𝟎
𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎
𝟒𝟓
𝑨𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚: 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎
𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

𝟖
𝟑𝟐

𝟔
𝟐𝟒
𝑨𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚: 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎
𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

𝟒
𝟏𝟖

𝟏𝟐
𝟑𝟔