Final answer:
The fraction 3/432 simplifies to 1/144 after dividing both the numerator and the denominator by their greatest common divisor (GCD), which is 3 in this case.
Step-by-step explanation:
To simplify the fraction 3/432, we need to find the greatest common divisor (GCD) that both the numerator (3) and denominator (432) share. The number 432 is divisible by 3, so let's begin simplifying by dividing both the numerator and the denominator by 3:
3 ÷ 3 = 1
432 ÷ 3 = 144
Now the fraction looks like 1/144. Since the numerator is 1, the fraction is already in its simplest form. Therefore, the most simplified version of the fraction 3/432 is 1/144.
In summary, the process of simplification often involves finding the GCD and dividing both parts of the fraction by it until you can no longer do so. This ensures you have the fraction in its most simplified form.