Practice Cancellation in Math

Use these practice problems to test your method after reviewing the concept explanation and worked examples.

Quick Recap

Cancellation is the process of removing a common factor from the numerator and denominator of a fraction, or from both sides of an equation, to simplify. It works because dividing both parts by the same nonzero number leaves an equivalent but simpler form.

68=34 because we can cancel the common factor 2 from top and bottom.

Showing a random 20 of 50 problems.

Example 1

medium
Simplify 1421+13 by reducing first.

Example 2

challenge
Simplify x2−9x+3 for x≠−3.

Example 3

easy
Simplify 1015.

Example 4

challenge
Simplify x3−1x−1 for x≠1.

Example 5

easy
Simplify 2(x−1)4.

Example 6

easy
Simplify 1624.

Example 7

medium
Simplify x(x+1)x for x≠0.

Example 8

medium
Simplify 12ab18b for b≠0.

Example 9

medium
Simplify 6x+93.

Example 10

medium
Simplify 23×94 by cancelling before multiplying.

Example 11

medium
Solve 4x=20 using cancellation.

Example 12

challenge
Why is cancelling the 2 in 2+x2 to get x wrong? Give the correct simplification.

Example 13

easy
Simplify 05.

Example 14

medium
Simplify 1545 in one step.

Example 15

easy
Simplify 812.

Example 16

medium
Reduce 3660.

Example 17

easy
Simplify 5a5.

Example 18

easy
Simplify 3×53×7.

Example 19

easy
Simplify 99.

Example 20

medium
Simplify 49×278 by cancelling before multiplying.