Name: ______________________________ Date: _____________________

SIMPLIFYING FRACTIONS
N-GEN MATH® 8
Before we move on to more exponent properties, we want to look back on simplifying a fraction
to its lowest terms. Make sure you understand a very fundamental idea in Exercise #1.
Exercise #1: Simplify each of the following fractions.
10 17 13 n
(a)  (b)  (c)  (d) 
10 17 13 n

Exercise #2: Summarize the principle of Exercise #1 below:

(a) Any fraction whose numerator and denominator are the same is equal to ___________.
or
(b) Any number divided by itself (except for the number zero) is equal to __________.

We can use this fact to help understand how we simplify fractions.

12
Exercise #3: Consider the fraction .
20
(a) What is the greatest divisor of both 12 (b) Write the numerator and denominator of
and 20? 12
as a product involving the answer to (a).
20

(c) Rewrite the product in (b) as the product (d) Simplify the product in (c).
of two fractions, one of which has an equal
numerator and denominator.

Exercise #4: Use the technique from Exercise #3 to simplify each of the following fractions.

6  30 
(a)     (b)    
21  18 

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Exercise #5: Simplify each fraction by using the greatest common factor (divisor) of the
numerator and denominator as we did in Exercise #4.
32 5 54 8
(a)  (b)  (c)  (d) 
40 20 12 24

We can use this idea to see how expressions involving exponents simplify when in fraction
(division) form. Let’s look at this in the next exercise.
25
Exercise #6: Consider the expression 2 .
2
(a) Evaluate both the numerator and (b) Simplify the fraction using your answers
denominator. from (a). It will be a whole number.

25 

22 

(c) Use the product law of exponents to fill in 25

(d) Simplify by factoring the numerator
the following: 22
using (c).
2  2  _______
5 2

Notice when we divide two quantities with the same bases the exponents now subtract instead of
add. Let’s continue to work with these.

Exercise #7: Simplify each of the following expressions by factoring either the numerator or
denominator and then “cancelling” any fractions equal to one.

39 102 x8 y5
(a) 2  (b) 5  (c) 2  (d) 6 
3 10 x y

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N-GEN MATH® 8, UNIT 7 – EXPONENTS AND ROOTS- LESSON 3
eMATHinstruction, RED HOOK, NY 12571, © 2020
Name: ______________________________ Date: _____________________
SIMPLIFYING FRACTIONS
N-GEN MATH® 8 HOMEWORK

FLUENCY
1. Simplify each of the following fractions.

9 7 y x4
(a) (b) (c) (d) 4
9 7 y x

2. Write each expression in simplest form.

4 8 3 5 8 n2
(a)  1 (b)  1 (c)  (d)  2
3 9 7 5 11 n

1 7 5 x x3 x5 1 y4
(e)  (f)  (g)  (h) 
3 7 1 x 1 x5 y3 y 4

3. Simplify each of the following numerical fractions by determining the greatest common
factor of the numerator and denominator. Use this to factor both numerator and denominator
and then “cancel” all fractions equal to one. The first problem is done as an example.

20 4  5 8 18
(a)  (b) (c)
15 3  5 12 10
4 5
 
3 5
4

3
7 40 28
(d) (e) (f)
35 48 63

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N-GEN MATH® 8, UNIT 7 – EXPONENTS AND ROOTS- LESSON 3
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4. Fill in each of the following blanks to make the statements always true.

(a) 810  83  ________ (b) 106  102  ________ (c) 38  35  ________

(d) x 9  x3  ________ (e) y 5  y 4  ________ (f) n 6  n 4  ________

5. Simplify each of the following expressions by factoring either the numerator or denominator
and then “cancelling” any fractions equal to one. The first two are done as examples.
76 7 4  7 2 x3 x3  1 107
(a) 2  (b) 5  3 2 (c) 3
7 1 72 x x x 10
74 72 74 x3 1 1
  2  1  3  2  1 2
1 7 1 x x x
7 4
1
 2
x

56 y9 n3
(d) 7 (e) 4 (f) 12
5 y n

212 m10 83
(g) 6 (h) 2 (i) 5
2 m 8

59
6. Which of the following is equivalent to ?
511
(1) 125 (3) 25
1 1
(2) (4)
125 25

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N-GEN MATH® 8, UNIT 7 – EXPONENTS AND ROOTS- LESSON 3
eMATHinstruction, RED HOOK, NY 12571, © 2020