Simplifying Fractions Worksheet

Fabulous Fractions Adventure – Lesson 3

Name:

Date:

🌳 Part 1: Finding the Highest Common Factor (HCF)

Use a factor tree or list the factors to find the HCF of each pair of numbers. Write your working in the box provided.

1. Find the HCF of 12 and 8.

Factors of 12: ___________________________________

Factors of 8: ___________________________________

HCF = _______

2. Find the HCF of 18 and 24.

Factors of 18: ___________________________________

Factors of 24: ___________________________________

HCF = _______

3. Find the HCF of 36 and 48.

Factors of 36: ___________________________________

Factors of 48: ___________________________________

HCF = _______

✏️ Part 2: Simplify the Fractions

For each fraction below: (1) find the HCF of the numerator and denominator, (2) divide both by the HCF, and (3) write the simplified fraction. Show your working!

4. Simplify 16/20

HCF = _______

16 ÷ _______ = _______

20 ÷ _______ = _______

Simplified fraction: _______

5. Simplify 9/12

HCF = _______

9 ÷ _______ = _______

12 ÷ _______ = _______

Simplified fraction: _______

6. Simplify 15/25

HCF = _______

15 ÷ _______ = _______

25 ÷ _______ = _______

Simplified fraction: _______

7. Simplify 36/48

HCF = _______

36 ÷ _______ = _______

48 ÷ _______ = _______

Simplified fraction: _______

8. Simplify 45/60

HCF = _______

45 ÷ _______ = _______

60 ÷ _______ = _______

Simplified fraction: _______

9. Simplify 72/90

HCF = _______

72 ÷ _______ = _______

90 ÷ _______ = _______

Simplified fraction: _______

10. Which of these fractions is already in its simplest form? Circle your answer and explain why.

4/10

3/7

6/9

8/12

Because: ___________________________________________________________

🧩 Part 3: Word Problems

Read each problem carefully. Show your working and write your answer as a simplified fraction.

11. Aroha baked 24 biscuits for the school gala. She gave away 18 of them. What fraction of the biscuits did she give away? Write this fraction in its simplest form.

Simplified fraction: _______

12. In Room 5, 30 out of 40 students brought their lunch from home. What fraction of students brought lunch? Simplify your answer.

Simplified fraction: _______

🌟 Challenge! Tane ran 60 metres of a 100-metre race before stopping for a drink. What simplified fraction of the race had he completed? Explain how you found the HCF.