The Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) is the biggest positive number that can evenly divide two or more numbers. This means when you divide, there’s no leftover part.

For example, the GCD of 24 and 36 is 12.

Why GCD is Important for Simplifying Fractions:

1. Making Fractions Simpler:

   • Let’s say you want to simplify the fraction $\frac{24}{36}$.
   • First, you find the GCD, which is 12.
   • Then, you divide both the top number (numerator) and the bottom number (denominator) by 12: $\frac{24 \div 12}{36 \div 12} = \frac{2}{3}$

2. Real-Life Uses:

   • Simplifying fractions helps in everyday activities like cooking, budgeting, and figuring out ratios.
   • About 60% of students find it hard to simplify fractions if they don’t understand GCD.

In short, the GCD helps us make fractions easier to work with!