Question

How do you simplify `\frac { - 63} { 147}`?

Answer 1

`-3/7`

Explanation:

We shall ignore the minus sign for now.

The first thing to do is to find the factors of the two numbers.

`63=>3xx3xx7`

`147=>3xx7xx7`

Now, we cancel those factors which are common between the two numbers.

`63=>cancel3xx3xxcancel7`

`147=>cancel3xx7xxcancel7`

Finally, retaining the minus sign, we place the remaining factors in the same place as the original fraction.

`-3/7`

Answer 2

`=-3/7`

Explanation:

You are probably comfortable with the factors of `63` but not `147`
so as a start, write the numerator and denominator as the product of their prime factors

`(-63)/147 = (-3 xx3xx7)/(3 xx7 xx 7)`.

Remember that anything divided by itself is equal to `1`

`3/3 = 1 and 7/7 = 1`

You can cancel any like factors in the numerator and denominator as long as there are ONLY `xx` signs.

`(-cancel3 xx3xxcancel7)/(cancel3 xx7 xx cancel7)`.

The negative sign does not affect the fraction at all.

`=-3/7`