Question

How do you write the fraction `5/15` in simplest form?

Answer 1

The simplified form is `1/3`.

Explanation:

Factor the top and the bottom of the fraction, then cancel out any factors in common:

`color(white)=5/15`

`=(color(blue)1*color(green)5)/(color(orange)3*color(green)5)`

`=(color(blue)1*color(red)cancelcolor(green)5)/(color(orange)3*color(red)cancelcolor(green)5)`

`=color(blue)1/color(orange)3`

This is the simplified fraction.