Question

Nicholas wrote the steps below to simplify the fraction 20/30. Find his error and correct 20/30 = 20/5=4 30/6= 5

Answer 1

Answer

The correct answer should be 2/3, Nicholas should have divided the numerator and the denominator by the same greatest common factor.  

Step-by-step explanation:

When simplifying fractions, you need to look at the value of the numerator (top number) and denominator (bottom number) and compare their factors.  Factors are the number that we multiply to get that number.  To simplify a fraction to lowest terms, you need to find the greatest common factor of both numbers and divide each number by the same factor.  20 has the following factors:  1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20.  30 has the following factors:  1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15, 30.  Although both 20 and 30 have the factors 1, 2, 5 and 10 in common, the greatest common factor is 10, so we divide both 20 and 30 by 10 to get 2/3.