Fractions, or Rational Numbers, can be written in many equivalent forms. Multiplying numerator and denominator by the same number leave the value of the fraction unchanged, but can make the fraction appear to be different:

• $1/2~=~2/4$
• $3/4~=~9/12,$
• $6/9~=~10/15,$
• $8/28~=~26/91,$
... and so on. However, for every fraction there is a standard representation, a standard form, wherein the denominator is positive and as small as possible. This is said to be "lowest terms."

To write a fraction in lowest terms, simply divide both numerator and denominator by their highest common factor, or HCF.

AbsoluteValue
AlgebraicNumber
CauchySequence
ContinuumHypothesis
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DedekindCut
Denominator
DividingRationalNumbers
DividingWholeNumbers
Divisor
DomainOfAFunction
Euclid
EuclideanAlgorithm
ImproperFraction
IrrationalNumber
LeastCommonMultiple
MagnitudeOfAVector
MixedNumber
MultiplyingRationalNumbers
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RealNumber
RootTwoIsIrrational
SubtractingRationalNumbers
TypesOfNumber
CommonFactor
MathematicsTaxonomy
HighestCommonFactor
RationalNumber
CancellingFractions
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ReducingFractionsToLowestTerms
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Numerator
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IrrationalNumber
LeastCommonMultiple
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RealNumber
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