In this video, we will simplify (reduce) the fraction 24/14 into its simplest form. The key to simplifying fractions is to find a number that goes into both the numerator and denominator.
The number 2 will divide evenly into both 24 and 14.
We can list all of the factors that divide evenly into 24 and 14. When we do so, we see that 2 is the highest common factor for both numbers.
If we divide 24 by 2, we get 12. If we divide 14 by 2, we get 7.
This means that we can simplify 24/14 to 12/7. The fractions are equivalent. If you check on a calculator, you will find that they have the same decimal value. So we haven't changed the quantity, just the way the fraction is expressed.
Now, if we want to convert 24/14 to a mixed number, here's how we do it:
To get 24/14 as a mixed number, we divide the numerator (24) by the denominator (14). The result is 1 with a remainder of 10. This means that 24/14 can be written as the mixed number 1 10/14, which can further be simplified to 1 5/7. The whole number 1 represents how many times 14 goes into 24, and the fraction 5/7 represents the remainder in simplest form.