To be able to reduce fractions, you must first understand the concept of equivalent fractions. That is, proportionally speaking, 1/4 is the same as 2/8. For example, If I have 10 apples, and I give my friend 5 out of that 10 apples, then the fraction of apples that I gave my friend = 5/10.
If we represent this in drawing, it would look like:
10 apples = 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
I give my friend 5 out of my ten apples: (0 0 0 0 0 ) 0 0 0 0 0
What proportion of my apples did I give my friend? Half!
Therefore, 1/2 is proportionally the same as 5/10
Therefore, 1/2 and 5/10 are said to be equivalent fractions.