Scribd
Upload
19 views2 pages

07combining Rational Expressions

Uploaded by

Phuoc N Le
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
19 views2 pages

07combining Rational Expressions

Uploaded by

Phuoc N Le
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Math 51

Worksheet
Combining
Rational Expressions

Multiply or Divide rational expressions

 If a division problem flip the expression on the right and change to multiplication.

Example:

3x 2 − 5 x − 2 x 2 + x − 2 3 x 2 − 5 x − 2 3 x + 21
o ÷ ⇒ ⋅ 2 ⇐ Flip the one on the right.
2 x + 14 3 x + 21 2 x + 14 x +x−2

(3 x − 1)( x + 2) 3( x + 7)
o ⋅ ⇐ Factor the numerators and denominators
2( x + 7 ) ( x + 2)( x − 1)

(3 x − 1)( x + 2) 3( x + 7)
o ⋅ ⇐ Divide out common factors
2( x + 7 ) ( x + 2)( x − 1)

(3 x − 1) 3 3(3 x − 1)
o ⋅ ⇒ ⇐ Multiply across and leave answer in factored form
2 ( x − 1) 2( x − 1)

Add or Subtract rational expressions

Find the LCD (lowest common denominator) by factoring all the denominators first.
List each different denominator factor the greatest number of times it appears in any of
the denominators. Rewrite each expression using the LCD.

Example:

4x 2 − 1 x+5 4x 2 − 1 x+5 4x 2 − 1 ( x + 5) ( x + 2)
2
− ⇒ − ⇒ −
3x − 5 x − 2 3x − 1 (3 x − 1)( x + 2) 3 x − 1 (3 x − 1)( x + 2) (3 x − 1) ( x + 2)
factor find LCD multiply missing factors

The denominators are the same so Add or Subtract the numerators. Keep denominator in
factored form and reduce rational expression to lowest terms if possible.

4 x 2 − 1 − ( x + 5)( x + 2) 4 x 2 − 1 − ( x 2 + 7 x + 10) 4 x 2 − 1 − x 2 − 7 x − 10 3 x 2 − 7 x − 11
⇒ ⇒ ⇒
(3 x − 1)( x + 2) (3 x − 1)( x + 2) (3 x − 1)( x + 2) (3 x − 1)( x + 2)
Practice Problems

Multiply or Divide rational expressions

( x − 5) 3 14 x 5 5 y 6 10 y 8
1) ⋅ 2) ÷
7 x 4 + 14 x 3 x 2 − 10 x + 25 3 x 2 21x11

2 x 3 − 6 x 2 − 8 x + 24 x2 −1 y −3 3− y
3) ⋅ 4) ÷
2 x 2 − 8x + 6 x2 − x − 2 12 10

Add or Subtract rational expressions

4 x a+b a+b
5) 2
+ 2 6) −
2 x + x − 3 2 x − 5 x − 12 a b

4 7 4 x + 24 2 5z
7) − + 2 8) −
x+2 x−2 x −4 z−4 4− z

Answer Key
2
2 x ( x − 5) 7x9
1) 2)
x+2 2y2
5
3) x+2 4) −
6
x 2 + 3 x − 16 b2 − a2
5) 6)
(2 x + 3)( x − 1)( x − 4) ab
1 5z + 2
7) 8)
x−2 z−4

You might also like