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Subtract: x 2 x + 3 9 x + 3 .

x 3

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Subtract: 4 x 2 2 x 5 25 2 x 5 .

2 x + 5

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Be careful of the signs when you subtract a binomial!

Subtract: y 2 y 6 2 y + 24 y 6 .

Solution

y 2 y 6 2 y + 24 y 6 The fractions have a common denominator, so subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominator. y 2 ( 2 y + 24 ) y 6 Distribute the sign in the numerator. y 2 2 y 24 y 6 Factor the numerator. ( y 6 ) ( y + 4 ) y 6 Remove common factors. ( y 6 ) ( y + 4 ) y 6 Simplify. y + 4

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Subtract: n 2 n 4 n + 12 n 4 .

n + 3

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Subtract: y 2 y 1 9 y 8 y 1 .

y 8

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Subtract: 5 x 2 7 x + 3 x 2 3 x + 18 4 x 2 + x 9 x 2 3 x + 18 .

Solution

5 x 2 7 x + 3 x 2 3 x + 18 4 x 2 + x 9 x 2 3 x + 18 Subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominator. 5 x 2 7 x + 3 ( 4 x 2 + x 9 ) x 2 3 x + 18 Distribute the sign in the numerator. 5 x 2 7 x + 3 4 x 2 x + 9 x 2 3 x 18 Combine like terms. x 2 8 x + 12 x 2 3 x 18 Factor the numerator and the denominator. ( x 2 ) ( x 6 ) ( x + 3 ) ( x 6 ) Simplify by removing common factors. ( x 2 ) ( x 6 ) ( x + 3 ) ( x 6 ) Simplify. ( x 2 ) ( x + 3 )

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Subtract: 4 x 2 11 x + 8 x 2 3 x + 2 3 x 2 + x 3 x 2 3 x + 2 .

x 11 x 2

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Subtract: 6 x 2 x + 20 x 2 81 5 x 2 + 11 x 7 x 2 81 .

x 3 x + 9

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Add and subtract rational expressions whose denominators are opposites

When the denominators of two rational expressions are opposites, it is easy to get a common denominator. We just have to multiply one of the fractions by −1 −1 .

Let’s see how this works.

.
Multiply the second fraction by −1 −1 . .
The denominators are the same. .
Simplify. .

Add: 4 u 1 3 u 1 + u 1 3 u .

Solution

.
The denominators are opposites, so multiply the second fraction by −1 −1 . .
Simplify the second fraction. .
The denominators are the same. Add the numerators. .
Simplify. .
Simplify. .

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Add: 8 x 15 2 x 5 + 2 x 5 2 x .

3

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Add: 6 y 2 + 7 y 10 4 y 7 + 2 y 2 + 2 y + 11 7 4 y .

y + 3

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Subtract: m 2 6 m m 2 1 3 m + 2 1 m 2 .

Solution

.
The denominators are opposites, so multiply the second fraction by −1 −1 . .
Simplify the second fraction. .
The denominators are the same. Subtract the numerators. .
Distribute. m 2 6 m + 3 m + 2 m 2 1
Combine like terms. .
Factor the numerator and denominator. .
Simplify by removing common factors. .
Simplify. .

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Subtract: y 2 5 y y 2 4 6 y 6 4 y 2 .

y + 3 y + 2

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Subtract: 2 n 2 + 8 n 1 n 2 1 n 2 7 n 1 1 n 2 .

3 n 2 n 1

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Key concepts

  • Rational Expression Addition
    • If p , q , and r are polynomials where r 0 , then
      p r + q r = p + q r
    • To add rational expressions with a common denominator, add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator.
  • Rational Expression Subtraction
    • If p , q , and r are polynomials where r 0 , then
      p r q r = p q r
    • To subtract rational expressions, subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominator.

Practice makes perfect

Add Rational Expressions with a Common Denominator

In the following exercises, add.

3 a a b + 1 a b

3 a + 1 a + b

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3 c 4 c 5 + 5 4 c 5

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d d + 8 + 5 d + 8

d + 5 d + 8

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p 2 + 10 p p + 2 + 16 p + 2

p + 8

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q 2 + 12 q q + 3 + 27 q + 3

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2 r 2 2 r 1 + 15 r 8 2 r 1

r + 8

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3 s 2 3 s 2 + 13 s 10 3 s 2

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8 t 2 t + 4 + 32 t t + 4

8 t

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6 v 2 v + 5 + 30 v v + 5

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2 w 2 w 2 16 + 8 w w 2 16

2 w w 4

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7 x 2 x 2 9 + 21 x x 2 9

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Subtract Rational Expressions with a Common Denominator

In the following exercises, subtract.

y 2 y + 8 64 y + 8

y 8

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9 a 2 3 a 7 49 3 a 7

3 a + 7

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25 b 2 5 b 6 36 5 b 6

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c 2 c 8 6 c + 16 c 8

c + 2

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d 2 d 9 6 d + 27 d 9

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3 m 2 6 m 30 21 m 30 6 m 30

m 2 3

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2 n 2 4 n 32 30 n 16 4 n 32

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6 p 2 + 3 p + 4 p 2 + 4 p 5 5 p 2 + p + 7 p 2 + 4 p 5

p + 3 p + 5

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5 q 2 + 3 q 9 q 2 + 6 q + 8 4 q 2 + 9 q + 7 q 2 + 6 q + 8

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5 r 2 + 7 r 33 r 2 49 4 r 2 5 r 30 r 2 49

r + 9 r + 7

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7 t 2 t 4 t 2 25 6 t 2 + 2 t 1 t 2 25

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Add and Subtract Rational Expressions whose Denominators are Opposites

In the following exercises, add.

10 v 2 v 1 + 2 v + 4 1 2 v

4

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20 w 5 w 2 + 5 w + 6 2 5 w

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10 x 2 + 16 x 7 8 x 3 + 2 x 2 + 3 x 1 3 8 x

x + 2

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6 y 2 + 2 y 11 3 y 7 + 3 y 2 3 y + 17 7 3 y

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In the following exercises, subtract.

z 2 + 6 z z 2 25 3 z + 20 25 z 2

z + 4 z 5

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a 2 + 3 a a 2 9 3 a 27 9 a 2

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2 b 2 + 30 b 13 b 2 49 2 b 2 5 b 8 49 b 2

4 b 3 b 7

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c 2 + 5 c 10 c 2 16 c 2 8 c 10 16 c 2

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Everyday math

Sarah ran 8 miles and then biked 24 miles. Her biking speed is 4 mph faster than her running speed. If r represents Sarah’s speed when she ran, then her running time is modeled by the expression 8 r and her biking time is modeled by the expression 24 r + 4 . Add the rational expressions 8 r + 24 r + 4 to get an expression for the total amount of time Sarah ran and biked.

32 r + 32 r ( r + 4 )

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If Pete can paint a wall in p hours, then in one hour he can paint 1 p of the wall. It would take Penelope 3 hours longer than Pete to paint the wall, so in one hour she can paint 1 p + 3 of the wall. Add the rational expressions 1 p + 1 p + 3 to get an expression for the part of the wall Pete and Penelope would paint in one hour if they worked together.

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Writing exercises

Donald thinks that 3 x + 4 x is 7 2 x . Is Donald correct? Explain.

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Explain how you find the Least Common Denominator of x 2 + 5 x + 4 and x 2 16 .

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Self check

After completing the exercises, use this checklist to evaluate your mastery of the objectives of this section.

The above image is a table with four columns and four rows. The first row is the header row. The first header is labeled “I can…”, the second “Confidently”, the third, “With some help”, and the fourth “No – I don’t get it!”. In the first column under “I can”, the next row reads “add rational expressions with a common denominator.”, the next row reads “subtract rational expressions with a common denominator.”, the next row reads, “add and subtract rational expressions whose denominators are opposites.”, the last row reads “What does this checklist tell you about your mastery of this section? What steps will you take to improve?” The remaining columns are blank.

What does this checklist tell you about your mastery of this section? What steps will you take to improve?

Questions & Answers

A golfer on a fairway is 70 m away from the green, which sits below the level of the fairway by 20 m. If the golfer hits the ball at an angle of 40° with an initial speed of 20 m/s, how close to the green does she come?
Aislinn Reply
cm
tijani
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John Reply
what is physics
Siyaka Reply
A mouse of mass 200 g falls 100 m down a vertical mine shaft and lands at the bottom with a speed of 8.0 m/s. During its fall, how much work is done on the mouse by air resistance
Jude Reply
Can you compute that for me. Ty
Jude
what is the dimension formula of energy?
David Reply
what is viscosity?
David
what is inorganic
emma Reply
what is chemistry
Youesf Reply
what is inorganic
emma
Chemistry is a branch of science that deals with the study of matter,it composition,it structure and the changes it undergoes
Adjei
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Adjanou
chemistry could also be understood like the sexual attraction/repulsion of the male and female elements. the reaction varies depending on the energy differences of each given gender. + masculine -female.
Pedro
A ball is thrown straight up.it passes a 2.0m high window 7.50 m off the ground on it path up and takes 1.30 s to go past the window.what was the ball initial velocity
Krampah Reply
2. A sled plus passenger with total mass 50 kg is pulled 20 m across the snow (0.20) at constant velocity by a force directed 25° above the horizontal. Calculate (a) the work of the applied force, (b) the work of friction, and (c) the total work.
Sahid Reply
you have been hired as an espert witness in a court case involving an automobile accident. the accident involved car A of mass 1500kg which crashed into stationary car B of mass 1100kg. the driver of car A applied his brakes 15 m before he skidded and crashed into car B. after the collision, car A s
Samuel Reply
can someone explain to me, an ignorant high school student, why the trend of the graph doesn't follow the fact that the higher frequency a sound wave is, the more power it is, hence, making me think the phons output would follow this general trend?
Joseph Reply
Nevermind i just realied that the graph is the phons output for a person with normal hearing and not just the phons output of the sound waves power, I should read the entire thing next time
Joseph
Follow up question, does anyone know where I can find a graph that accuretly depicts the actual relative "power" output of sound over its frequency instead of just humans hearing
Joseph
"Generation of electrical energy from sound energy | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore" ***ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7150687?reload=true
Ryan
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Maurice Reply
what are the types of wave
Maurice
answer
Magreth
progressive wave
Magreth
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Muhammad Reply
fine, how about you?
Mohammed
hi
Mujahid
A string is 3.00 m long with a mass of 5.00 g. The string is held taut with a tension of 500.00 N applied to the string. A pulse is sent down the string. How long does it take the pulse to travel the 3.00 m of the string?
yasuo Reply
Who can show me the full solution in this problem?
Reofrir Reply
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Source:  OpenStax, Elementary algebra. OpenStax CNX. Jan 18, 2017 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col12116/1.2
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