To simplify the fraction 3/6, divide both the numerator and the denominator by the greatest common divisor, which is 3, to get 1/2. The fraction 5/8 is already in its simplest form and cannot be simplified further. Mistakes could involve not using the correct GCD or trying to simplify a fraction that's already simple.
Simplifying 3/6
To simplify 3/6, we find the greatest common divisor (GCD) for both numerator (3) and denominator (6). The GCD of 3 and 6 is 3. So, we divide both the numerator and denominator by 3, which gives us:
3 ÷ 3 = 1
6 ÷ 3 = 2
So, 3/6 simplified is 1/2.
Simplifying 5/8
The fraction 5/8 is already in its simplest form because 5 and 8 do not have any common divisors other than 1. Hence, there is nothing to simplify, and 5/8 remains 5/8.
If you had a different result, it may be because of a common mistake such as not finding the correct GCD or attempting to simplify a fraction that is already in its simplest form. Always look for the highest number that divides both the numerator and denominator without leaving a remainder when simplifying fractions.