how come 26/52= 1/2 ? why coudl'nt it be 2 over 52?
how come you can't use 1 as the numerator in 33/55=3/5
but you could use 1 in 26/52 which equals 1/2?
2007-01-13 00:22:41 · 8 answers · asked by ,,,,,,, 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
26 is 10+10+6 and 52 is 10+10+10+10+10+2
A B
Twice 26 is 10+10+10+10+6+6 which is equal to 52 which is B
therefore if A is 26 and B is 52
A/B = 1/2
2007-01-13 00:31:54 · answer #1 · answered by Kool-kat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't know if u understand what the others wanted to explain though i think it's good. but if u don't here's a more detailed explanation.
26/52 is the fraction. when u simplify it, u have to divide both the numerator and denominator by the same number.
26/52 can be divided by 2 : 26/52 = (13*2)/(26*2) = 13/26
13/26 can be divided by 13: 13/26 = ( 1*13)/(2*13) = 1/2
but for 33/55
33/55 can be divided by 11 : 33/55 = (3*11)/(5*11) = 3/5
it can't be simplified further as 3 and 5 r both prime nos. ( that don't have a common factor)
2007-01-13 01:31:51 · answer #2 · answered by Devilish_chic31 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When simplifiying a fraction, Whatever you divide the top number by must be used to divide the bottom number by. So you look for numbers that divide into both top and bottom numbers to leave whole number answers. for the fraction 26/52 26 goes into 26 and 52. 26 divided by 26 gives the answer 1....52 divided by 26 gives the number 2 so 26/52 is the same as 1/2 , i have divided the top number and the bottom number by 26. For the fraction 33/55 to get a 1 on the top i have to divide 33 by 33, but 55 divided by 33 does not give a whole number answer so i cant divide both and top number by 33 to simplify the fraction However 11 will divide both top and bottom numbers to leave whole number answers. 33 divided by 11 is 3. 55 divided by 55 gives 5. So 33/55 is the same as 3/5. I have divided both top and bottom numbers by 11
2007-01-13 00:37:23 · answer #3 · answered by plain_jane 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hello icecream,
A fraction is simplified by dividing BOTH the numerator and the denominator with the largest number that can divide them both.
For ex.
26/52
26/52 = now/ can you think of the largest number that can divide both of them EQUALLY (meaning exact, with no decimals on the answer>?
yes, it's 26, and when you divide the numerator with 26 the answer is 1, and when you divide 52 with 26 you get 2. Thus, the answer is 1/2.
Another example.
4/12
Lets simplify this fraction.
The largest number that I can think of to divide them both is 4.
4 divided 4 is 1
12 divided by 4 is 3
Thus the new answer is 1/3.
Your example fraction, 33/55.
Both the numerator and denominator can be divided by the number 11, no other number greater than 11 can divide both of them.
33/55
33 divided by 11 = 3
55 divided by 5 = 5
33/55 = 3/5
That's how you simplify a fraction.
And uhh, if you're not so sure that the number that you are going to use is the largest number, just continue dividing it.
What I'm saying is:
Let's say I want to simplify the 4/12 fraction.
And I divide both of them with 2.(which is not the largest number that can divide both of them)
4 divided by 2 = 2
12 divided by 2 = 6
I come up with a new-looking fraction = 2/6
Still, I can divide both of them with the number 2.
2 divided by 2 = 1
6 divided by 2 = 3
Then you come up AGAIN with the lowest term = 1/3
(which you must have got waaay before in time if you just divide the fraction by 4)
Have a Good Day Ice Cream.
2007-01-13 00:37:44 · answer #4 · answered by The Impresario 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
26/52 = 26/(26*2)
= 1/(1*2)
= 1/2
33/55 = (11*3)/(11*5)
= (1*3)/(1*5)
= 3/5
All we are doing is changing the ways the numerator and denominator look, without changing the value of the actual expressions, in order to simplify them. Find things that are common to the numerator and denominator so that you can cancel them out with division.
2007-01-13 00:29:10 · answer #5 · answered by Wolfshadow 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because 26 is half of 52 and 33 is three fifths of 55. You just find the lowest number that goes into both numerator and denominator.
2007-01-13 00:31:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To simplify you have to divide the top number by a number that will go equally into the bottom number if you were to add 26+26 you would get 52 which is why its half.
In your second example you could divide the top number by 11 and the bottom number by 11.... remember whatever you do to the top you have to do the same to the bottom.
2007-01-13 00:32:21 · answer #7 · answered by Just Thinking 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just do 26 divided by 52
and 26 is half of 52
so it is 1/2
2007-01-18 13:21:55 · answer #8 · answered by cynthia_odeen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋