How to Simplify Fractions Using Factors

The Organic Chemistry Tutor

This educational video provides a clear, step-by-step tutorial on how to simplify fractions using the method of finding common factors. The narrator demonstrates the process by breaking down both the numerator and denominator into their factor pairs, identifying the greatest common factor, and "canceling out" the common numbers to reduce the fraction to its simplest form. The video uses a digital blackboard aesthetic with color-coded markings to visually distinguish between the original numbers, the factors, and the final simplified answer. The content progresses from simple examples like 3/6 and 3/9 to slightly more complex problems involving larger numbers such as 12/30 and 35/49. It explicitly shows the mental math required to recognize divisibility rules, such as identifying that 35 and 49 are both divisible by 7. The video structure includes a "pause and practice" section, encouraging active viewer participation before revealing the solutions. This resource is highly valuable for elementary and middle school mathematics classrooms as it visually reinforces the relationship between multiplication, division, and fractions. It moves beyond rote memorization of rules by showing the underlying logic of canceling common factors. Teachers can use this video to introduce the concept of simplifying fractions, as a remediation tool for students struggling with basic arithmetic, or as a quick refresher before tackling more complex operations like adding fractions with unlike denominators.