4/15 simplified
The correct answer and explanation is:
The simplified form of 4/15 is already in its simplest terms. This is because 4 and 15 do not share any common divisors other than 1, which means the fraction cannot be reduced further.
To simplify a fraction, the numerator and denominator need to have a common factor greater than 1. In this case, 4 is a product of 2 × 2, while 15 is a product of 3 × 5. These two numbers have no common factors, so there is no way to divide both the numerator and denominator by the same number to reduce the fraction.
Thus, the fraction 4/15 is in its lowest terms and cannot be simplified further. When working with fractions, it is important to check for any common factors between the numerator and denominator. If a fraction can be simplified, the process involves dividing both parts by their greatest common divisor (GCD). However, in this case, the GCD of 4 and 15 is 1, which confirms that 4/15 is already fully simplified.
Another way to verify if a fraction is in its simplest form is to perform the prime factorization of both the numerator and denominator. If no common prime factors exist, the fraction is in its lowest terms. In this instance, the prime factorization of 4 is 2 × 2, and the prime factorization of 15 is 3 × 5. Since no prime factors are shared, the fraction is already simplified.
Thus, the final answer to the simplification of 4/15 is simply 4/15.