Reducing Ratios to Simplest Form
You'll find ratio simplification everywhere in maths, so mastering this skill now will save you loads of time later. The key is finding the highest common factor of both numbers and dividing through.
For basic ratios like 15:18, spot that both numbers share a factor of 3. Divide both sides: 15รท3 = 5 and 18รท3 = 6, giving you 5:6 in its simplest form.
When dealing with decimals in ratios, multiply both sides by 10 (or 100) first to eliminate decimal places. For 2.4:3.6, multiply by 10 to get 24:36, then divide by 12 to reach the simplest form of 2:3.
Mixed units need converting to the same unit before simplifying. For 24mm:1.2cm, convert 1.2cm to 12mm first, giving 24:12, which simplifies to 2:1.
Quick tip: Always check if you can divide both numbers by the same factor - start with obvious ones like 2, 3, 5, or 10!