Summarize the following:
A "prime" number is a number that cannot be divided by any other number and stay whole (apart from itself and 1, of course). 2, 3, 5, 7, and 11 are examples of prime numbers. Start with the numerator. From 24, branch off into 2 and 12. Since 2 is a prime number already, you're done with that branch! Then take 12 into two more numbers: 2 and 6. 2 is a prime number -- great! Now divide 6 into two numbers: 2 and 3. You now have 2, 2, 2, and 3 as your prime numbers. Move onto the denominator. From 60, branch off your tree to 2 and 30. 30 will then split into 2 and 15. Then split 15 into 3 and 5,both prime. You now have 2, 2, 3 and 5 as your prime numbers. Take the list of prime numbers you have for each number and write them out to be multiplied. You don't actually have to do the math -- this just makes it easier to see. So, for 24, you have 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 = 24. For 60, you have 2 x 2 x 3 x 5 = 60 Any numbers that you see that are part of both numbers can be eliminated. In this case, what we have in common is a pair of twos and a 3. Goodbye! What we are left with is 2 and 5 -- or 2/5! The same answer we got with the above method. if both numerator and denominator are even numbers, just think of splitting the number in half. keep on doing it to both until they are to small to split any more.
Find the prime factors of the numerator and the denominator. Write the prime factorization of each number. Cancel out the common factors.