Question

What is `42/56` in simplest form?

Answer 1

`3/4`

Explanation:

`42/56 => (2 xx 3 xx 7)/(2 xx 2 xx 2 xx 7)`

`=> (color(red)(cancel(color(black)(2))) xx 3 xx color(blue)(cancel(color(black)(7))))/(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(2))) xx 2 xx 2 xx color(blue)(cancel(color(black)(7))))`

`=> 3/4`

Answer 2

Divide by common factors until you get the simplest form.
`3/4`

Explanation:

Divide the numerator and denominator by a common factor.
It is preferable to use the HCF, but sometimes the HCF is not obvious.

Divide both by `7`

`(42div7)/(56div7)`

`=6/8" "larr` they can both be divided by `2`

`=3/4`

The highest common factor is actually `14`. If you had seen that:

`(42div14)/(56div14) = 3/4`