Listen to this song.

This song is available on Jim Thompson's "All-Inclusive Groove."

     The vocabulary terms "simplify," "reduce," and "find the lowest term" of fractions are important. When teaching my students how to simply, reduce or find the lowest term of a fraction, I have them make a factor tree for the numerator and the denominator. They are then instructed to cross out similar prime factors—one from the numerator, one from the denominator—“because everything in the land of fractions is fair, so mark them out."
      What they are left with is the simplest form of the original fraction. For instance: In the fraction of 12/21, the prime factors of 12 are 3, 2, 2 and the prime factors of 21 are 3,7. Mark out the 3 from 12 and the 3 from 21 and you are left with (2x2) 4 and 7. Therefore, the reduced form of 12/21 is 4/7.
                                                                                                -- Jim Thompson

To simplify, reduce or find your lowest term

Use a factor tree and list your factors

‘Cause everything in the land of fractions is fair

so mark them out.

This song is available on Jim Thompson's "All-Inclusive Groove."

Many thanks to Jim Thompson for permission to display these lyric excerpts.
© James Thompson. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

See all of our Upper-Level Math Songs and Songs that Teach about Fractions

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