simplify 3/12
Understand the Problem
The question is asking us to simplify the fraction 3/12. To do this, we will find the greatest common divisor of the numerator (3) and the denominator (12) and divide both by that number.
Answer
\( \frac{1}{4} \)
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is ( \frac{1}{4} )
Steps to Solve
- Find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 3 and 12
The greatest common divisor is the largest number that divides both numbers without leaving a remainder. Here, the GCD of 3 and 12 is 3.
- Divide the numerator and denominator by the GCD
Divide both the numerator (3) and the denominator (12) by the GCD (3). $$ \frac{3 \div 3}{12 \div 3} = \frac{1}{4} $$
- Write the simplified fraction
The fraction is now simplified to $$ \frac{1}{4} $$
The final answer is ( \frac{1}{4} )
More Information
Simplifying fractions helps in understanding and comparing them more easily. The fraction ( \frac{1}{4} ) means one part of a whole that is divided into four equal parts.
Tips
A common mistake when simplifying fractions is not finding the GCD correctly. Make sure to find the largest number that divides both the numerator and denominator.
