Simplify Fraction

Written byOleh Soloninupdated 5 October 2026

Numerator

Denominator

Result

Simplified3/4
WorkingGCD(42, 56) = 14; 42 ÷ 14 / 56 ÷ 14 = 3/4
As a decimal0.75

The same value, written as small as it goes

Enter a fraction and get its simplest equivalent form, along with the number both parts were divided by.

Simplifying does not change what a fraction is worth — 50/100 and 1/2 are the same amount. It changes how easy it is to read and work with.

The method is to find the largest number that divides both the top and bottom, then divide by it once. That number is the greatest common divisor, and finding it is the whole job.

How to use

Enter the numerator and the denominator.
Read the fraction in lowest terms, the divisor used and the mixed-number form.
The decimal value is shown alongside, so the two forms can be compared at a glance.

Dividing by the greatest common divisor

Simplifying means dividing both parts by their greatest common divisor. For 42/56 that divisor is 14, and the fraction becomes 3/4 in one step. Cancelling smaller factors one at a time reaches the same place, only slower.

A fraction is in lowest terms when the divisor is 1 — the two numbers are then coprime. That is also the form in which two fractions can be compared honestly, because the same value has exactly one lowest-terms spelling.

Worked out with this calculator; a divisor of 1 means the fraction was already reduced.
Fraction	Greatest common divisor	Lowest terms	Decimal
42/56	14	3/4	0.75
360/2400	120	3/20	0.15
8/15	1	8/15	0.5333

What this calculator shows

The fraction in lowest terms
The working: the greatest common divisor and both parts divided by it
An improper fraction as a mixed number, and the value as a decimal
Instant recognition when a fraction is already as simple as it gets

What to keep in mind

Works with whole-number numerators and denominators.
A fraction is in lowest terms when the only number dividing both parts is 1.

FAQs

How do I know a fraction cannot be simplified further?

When the greatest common divisor is 1. 7/9 is already there — nothing but 1 divides both.

Is 0.75 the same as 3/4?

Yes, exactly. Some fractions convert to tidy decimals; 1/3 becomes 0.333… and never terminates.

Why does simplifying matter?

Smaller numbers are easier to compare and calculate with. Deciding whether 17/51 beats 1/3 is hard until you notice 17/51 simplifies to exactly 1/3.

Can I simplify a fraction with a negative sign?

Yes, and convention puts the sign on the numerator. −6/8 becomes −3/4 rather than 3/−4.

How do I reduce 42/56?

Divide both numbers by 14, their greatest common divisor, which gives 3/4. Cancelling by 2 and then by 7 arrives at the same fraction.

How do I know a fraction cannot be reduced further?

When the greatest common divisor is 1. 8/15 is already in lowest terms, because 8 and 15 share no prime factor.

Worked example

A measurement from a tape measure

Input: 12/16

Output: 3/4

Note: Both parts share a factor of 4. This is exactly why imperial tape measures are marked in quarters, eighths and sixteenths.

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Simplify Fraction

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