Suppose you have 12/20. Can you say that you "simplify by 4" and obtain 3/5?
Now we can see the reverse operation. Suppose you have 3/5. Can you say that "you amplify by 4" and obtain 12/20?
2006-09-29 10:39:17 · 5 answers · asked by Theta40 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
I agree that "amplify" might be misleading. "Simplify by 4" might be sufficiently clear, or you could say "cancel the common 4" or "divide the common 4."
I've never been able to think of a shorter way to say "multiply, top and bottom, by 4." Except maybe "multiply by 4/4."
2006-09-29 10:49:32 · answer #1 · answered by Jay H 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've never heard "simplify" or "amplify" used in that way and I think it's kind of confusing because it's not obvious that you're keeping the ratio the same. I would say "multiply top and bottom by 4" or "divide top and bottom by 4". You can also use "numerator" and "denominator" but that gets kind of cumbersome.
2006-09-29 17:44:29 · answer #2 · answered by kslnet 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The first operation would be referred to as "reducing" the fraction. Generally, it's implied that reducing a fraction will reduce it to a pair of coprime integers, and so a factor is not mentioned. Usually, if you wanted to refer to reducing the fraction to some other form, you would say "reduce the fraction to [new fraction]."
I'm not quite sure about the second case, but I think you would say you expand the fraction to [new fraction].
2006-09-29 17:54:19 · answer #3 · answered by Pascal 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
to "reduce" 12/20 we "cancel out" common factors.....
from "3/5" we get "equivalent fractions" by multiplying both numerator and denominator by a common multiple...
2006-09-29 17:48:00 · answer #4 · answered by m s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"reduce" and "multiply"
but yes
2006-09-29 17:58:36 · answer #5 · answered by Sherman81 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋