Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
SUBTRACTING
RATIONAL ALGEBRAIC
EXPRESSIONS
Adding and Subtracting
Rational Expressions
Objectives
When Multiplying
or Dividing 1
Fractions, you 2 1 4 4 2
don’t need a c.
3
common 2 3 6 3
Denominator 4
Add rational expressions having the
same denominator.
P R
If Q and Q (Q ≠ 0) are rational expressions, then
P R PR
.
Q Q Q
That is, to add rational expressions with the same denominator,
add the numerators and keep the same denominator.
EXAMPLE 1 Adding Rational Expressions with
the Same Denominator
2x 2y 2x 2 y 2 x y
2
x y x y x y x y
3x 6 3x 6 3( x 2)
b. or
x4 x4 x4 x4
Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
EXAMPLE 1 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
with the Same Denominator
= 5+k Add.
k2 + 2k – 15
5+k
= Factor.
(k – 3)(k + 5)
1
= Lowest terms
k–3
Adding and Subtracting Rational
Expressions
Step 2 Find the least common denominator. The LCD is the product of
all different factors from each denominator, with each factor rai
to the greatest power that occurs in the denominator.
Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
4m3n2, 6m2n5
Factor each denominator.
22 · m3 · n2
2 · 3 · m2 · n5
Choose the factors with
LCD = 22 · 3 · m3 · n5the greatest exponents.
= 12m3n5
8.2 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
n2 – 3n – 10, n2 – 8n + 15
Factor the denominators.
n2 – 3n – 10 = (n – 5)(n + 2)
Factor.
n2 – 8n + 15 = (n – 5)(n – 3)
The LCD, divisible by both polynomials, is (n – 5)(n + 2)(n – 3).
8.2 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
g2 – 2g + 1, g2 + 3g – 4, 5g + 20
g2 – 2g + 1 = (g – 1)2
g2 + 3g – 4 = (g – 1)(g + 4) Factor.
5g + 20 = 5(g + 4)
LCD 3 7 n 21n
EXAMPLE 3 Adding Rational Expressions
2 p 2 4 p 2p 2 2 p 1
p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1
2
p 1
EXAMPLE 4 Adding Rational Expressions
2k
3
2k
k 1
3
k 4
k 4 k 1 k 1 k 1 k 4 k 1 k 1 k 1 k 1 k 4
2k k 1 3k 4 2k 2 2k 3k 12
k 4 k 1 k 1 k 4 k 1 k 1 k 4 k 1 k 1
2k 2 5k 12 2k 3 k 4
k 4 k 1 k 1 k 4 k 1 k 1
8.2 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
= 5+k Add.
k2 + 2k – 15
5+k
= Factor.
(k – 3)(k + 5)
1
= Lowest terms
k–3
EXAMPLE 7 Subtracting Rational Expressions
with Different Denominators
3 x 2 8 x 2
Simplify...
(x 2) x 2 (x 2) x 2
3x 6 8x 16
x 2x 2 x 2x 2
3x 6 (8x 16) 3x 6 8x 16
(x 2)(x 2) (x 2)(x 2)
– 5x – 22
(x + 2)(x – 2)
EXAMPLE 8 Subtracting Rational Expressions
with Denominators That Are Opposite
4 x 3x 1 x 1
1
x 1 x 1
EXAMPLE 9 Subtracting Rational Expressions
Solution:
3r 4 3r r 5 4 r
r r 5 r 5 r 5 r r 5 r 5 r 5 r 5 r
3r 2 15r 4r 3r 2 19r
r r 5 r 5 r r 5 r 5 r r 5 r 5
r 3r 19 3r 19
r r 5 r 5 r 5
2
Simplify:
3x 2x 3x (x - 1) - 2x (x + 2)
2 2
x 5x 6 x 2x 3 (x 3)(x 2)(x 1)
(x + 3)(x + 2) (x + 3)(x - 1)
3x 3x 2x 4x
2 2
LCD
(x + 3)(x + 2)(x - 1) (x 3)(x 2)(x 1)
x ≠ -3, -2, 1 x 7x 2
(x 3)(x 2)(x 1)
Simplify:
x 1 1 x 1 1
2
x 6 x 9 x 9
2
( x 3)( x 3) ( x 3)( x 3)
LCD: (x+3)2(x-3)
( x 1)( x 3) ( x 3) ( x 1)( x 3) ( x 3)
( x 3) ( x 3) ( x 3) ( x 3)
2 2
( x 3) 2 ( x 3)
x 3x x 3 x 3
2
x 2 3x 6
( x 3) ( x 3)
2
( x 3) 2 ( x 3)
You try!!!! Simplify:
4x 5x 4x (x - 2) + 5x (x - 3)
2 2
x 5x 6 x 4x 4 (x 3)(x 2)(x 2)
(x - 3)(x - 2) (x - 2)(x - 2)
LCD 4x 8x 5x 15x
2 2