SOLUTION: I having problems simplifying fractions. I am totally lost, I don't understand where I have to start. Could you please provide me with the simplest step to solving the problem.

Question 831481: I having problems simplifying fractions. I am totally lost, I don't understand where I have to start. Could you please provide me with the simplest step to solving the problem.
Scott pick up 2/3 of a vote. Jason picked up 1/6 of a vote. What fraction did Scott win by?
From here I have to drag fractional pieces. Could you please help?
Found 2 solutions by KMST, rothauserc:
Answer by KMST(5328) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The difference in votes, as a fraction of the total number of votes was

Scott got of the vote, and , so the difference is
.
Then we simplify to because .
Those fractions represent the same number, just written in a different way.
They have the same value, so we say they are equivalent.

You can see that because any cake that is cut into 3 equal pieces (thirds) can be made into 6 equal pieces by cutting each piece in half.
That doubles the total number of pieces to 6, so each (smaller)piece is .
At the same time, each of the pieces turns into two pieces, so getting of the cake is the same as getting of the cake.
--->
To state that conclusion in a more general way, any fraction can be turned into an equivalent fraction by multiplying the numerator (the top number), and the denominator (the bottom number) by a number of your choice. (The same number is multiplied by both parts of the fraction, of course).
And if multiplying works, dividing must work too,
because dividing by 2 is the same as multiplying times ,
dividing by 3 is the same as multiplying times , and so on.
That makes equivalent (equal) to
Answer by rothauserc(4718) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
in order to compare fractions, we must insure that they have the same denominator
We are given the fractions 2/3 and 1/6. Notice that 3 divides 6 evenly, so we will pick 6 as the common denominator.
We want to know how many 6ths are in 2/3 so we will solve the following equation
2/3 = x/6
cross multiply the two fractions and we get
3x = 12
x = 4
so 4/6 is equivalent to 2/3
Scott got 4/6 of the vote and Jason got 1/6 of vote and we can now subtract Jason's fraction from Scott's
4/6 - 1/6 = 3/6 or reduced it is 1/2
Scott won by 1/2 the vote

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