Can you simplify a mixed number

Article Summary. Method 1. Determine whether your fraction is improper. An improper fraction is a fraction that has a larger numerator than denominator.

Interpret the denominator. The denominator is the number below the fraction bar. It tells you how many equal pieces a whole is divided into. Interpret the numerator. The numerator is the number above the fraction bar. It tells you how many pieces you have.

Draw circles to represent the whole. Divide each whole according to the denominator of your fraction. For example, if your denominator is 4, then divide each circle you draw into 4 equal pieces, or quarters. Shade in pieces according to your numerator. The number in the numerator tells you how many pieces you should shade in. Count how many whole circles you shaded in. To simplify an improper fraction, you must turn it into a mixed number, which includes a whole number and a fraction together.

The number of whole circles you shaded in represents the whole number of your mixed fraction. Write this number down. Count how many parts of a whole you shaded in. The leftover shaded parts will represent the fraction in your mixed number. Write this fraction next to your whole number, and you have your mixed number. Simplify your answer, if necessary. Sometimes the fraction of your mixed number will need to be reduced before you reach your final, simplified answer.

Method 2. Divide the numerator by the denominator. Remember that the fraction bar can be interpreted as a division symbol. The number of times you can divide the numerator evenly by the denominator will be the whole number of your mixed number.

Write this number down, and note the remainder. The denominator will not divide evenly into the numerator. The remainder will be interpreted as the fraction part of your mixed number.

Turn the remainder into a fraction. To do this, take the remainder, and place it over the denominator of the original improper fraction. Combine this new fraction with the whole number, and you have your mixed number.

As long as the denominator is less than 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 pieces would take some time. Not Helpful 11 Helpful What if I want to simplify it without making it a mixed number? Like simplifying it into a regular fraction? You cannot convert an improper fraction into a proper fraction. Not Helpful 34 Helpful Not Helpful 22 Helpful 4.

Divide both numerator and denominator by the largest factor that both numbers have in common. Therefore, 3 is the largest common factor. Divide 3 into both the numerator and denominator to simplify the fraction to its lowest terms. Not Helpful 14 Helpful 6.

Not Helpful 11 Helpful 7. Not Helpful 12 Helpful 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.

If the only factor they have in common is 1, then the fraction is already in lowest terms and can't be simplified any more. Write out the common factors of the fraction's numerator, and then make a separate list for common factors of the denominator. With practice you'll be able to recognize many of these intuitively, but when you first start out, the lists are very helpful.

Read through the lists you just made and identify the largest non-zero factor that both numbers have in common. In this case, it's 3. Now, factor that number out of both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction.

This gives you:. Cancel the shared factor you just identified from both the numerator and denominator of the fraction. In effect, you're dividing both numerator and denominator by 3.

Because you performed the same division operation on both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction, you haven't actually changed the value of the fraction; you have simplified how it's written. Because the new numerator and denominator don't share any non-zero factors, you can't simplify the fraction any more — but you do need to remember to write back in the whole number or integer that's part of your mixed number.

Lisa studied mathematics at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and spent several years tutoring high school and university students through scary -- but fun! What are the Rules For Multiplying Fractions? Math Rules for Addition. How to Convert Percent to Fraction. How to Multiply 3 Fractions. What Is Factoring in Math?