IM4_Ch07_2pp.

fm Page 190 Thursday, February 5, 2009 12:46 PM

7:07 | Simplifying Algebraic Fractions:

Multiplication and Division
quiz Simplify the following:
ep
pr

5a 2 12xy 2 2x 6 2x 4x
1 --------- 2 --------------
- 3 ------ × --- 4 ------ ÷ ------
10a 8x 2 y 3 x 3 9
7:07 Factorise:
5 6x2 + 9x 6 x2 + 7x + 12 7 x2 − 49 8 3x2 + 6x + 3
9 3x + 3y + ax + ay 10 2x2 + 9x − 5

Just as numerical fractions can be simplified by cancelling common factors in the numerator and
the denominator, so algebraic fractions can often be simplified in the same way after first factorising
where possible. Look at the examples below.

worked examples
2x – 2 2 ( x – 1 ) 1
1 --------------- = ----------------------
3x – 3 3 ( x – 1 ) 1
2
= --- Simplifying looks simple.
3
x 2 + 7x + 12 ( x + 4 ) ( x + 3 ) 1
2 -----------------------------
- = ------------------------------------1-
x2 – 9 (x – 3)(x + 3)
x+4
= ------------
x–3
6 – 6a 2 6( 1 – a )( 1 + a )1
3 ------------------------------------- = ---------------------------------------
-
3 + 3a + x + ax ( 3 + x )( 1 + a )1
6(1 – a)
= --------------------
3+x
3x 2 – 9x 1
3x ( x – 3 ) 1
4 -------------------- = -----------------------------------------
-
3x 2 – 27 31 ( x – 3 )1 ( x + 3 )
x
= ------------
x+3

Algebraic fractions should also be factorised before completing a multiplication or a division since
the cancelling of common factors often simplifies these processes. Consider the following examples.

worked examples
5x + 15 2x + 2 5 1 ( x + 3 ) 2 ( x + 1 ) 1
1 ------------------ × --------------- = ----------------------- × -----------------------
x+1 5 ( x + 1 )1 51
= 2(x + 3)

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1 1 1
x2 – 9 3x + 6 (x – 3)(x + 3) 3(x + 2)
2 - × -------------------------- = ---------------------------------- × ----------------------------------
--------------------------
x + 5x + 6 x 2 – 2x – 3
2 (x + 2)(x + 3) (x – 3)(x + 1)
1 1 1
3
= ------------
x+1
1 1
6x – 14 3x – 7 2 ( 3x – 7 ) 5 ( x – 3 )
3 ------------------ ÷ ------------------ = ----------------------- × --------------------
3x – 9 5x – 15 3 ( x – 3 ) ( 3x – 7 )
1 1
10
= ------
3
1 1
a 2 – 16 a 2 – 2a – 8 (a – 4)(a + 4) (a + 5)(a + 5)
4 - ÷ ---------------------------------
---------------- = ---------------------------------- × ----------------------------------
a – 25 a + 10a + 25 ( a – 5 ) ( a + 5 ) ( a – 4 ) ( a + 2 )
2 2
1 1
(a + 4)(a + 5)
= ----------------------------------
(a – 5)(a + 2)

To simplify algebraic fractions, factorise both numerator and denominator, where

possible, and then cancel.

Exercise 7:07
1 Factorise and simplify:
5x + 10 4 12
a ------------------ b --------------- c ---------------
5 2x + 6 3x – 9
2x – 10 x+7 5a – 5
d ------------------ e ------------------ f ---------------
x–5 3x + 21 8a – 8

3a + 9 7m – 28 x2 + x
g ------------------ h -------------------- i -------------
-
6a + 18 3m – 12 x2 – x
x2 – 4 a+1 4y 2 – 9
j -------------- k -------------
- l -----------------
x–2 a2 – 1 4y + 6
a 2 – 4a 2x 2 – 2 x 2 – 36
m ----------------2- n ----------------- o ------------------
3a – a 2x – 2 3x – 18
a 2 – 3a – 4 x 2 – 6x + 9 x2 – 4
p -------------------------- q --------------------------- r --------------------------
-
a+1 x–3 x + 3x + 2
2

x 2 + 3x + 2 m 2 + 5m – 24 t 2 + 7t + 12
s --------------------------
- t --------------------------------- u ---------------------------
-
x 2 + 5x + 6 m 2 – 7m + 12 t2 – 9
a2 – x2 2x 2 – x – 1 18a 2 – 8
v ------------------------------------------
- w -------------------------
- x --------------------------
-
a 2 + 3a + ax + 3x 4x 2 – 1 6a 2 + a – 2

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2 Simplify the following:

2x + 4 6x 5y – 15 y + 4
a --------------- × ------------ b ------------------ × ------------
3 x+2 2y + 8 10
2x – 4 5x – 15 5n + 10 6n + 18
c --------------- × ------------------ d ------------------- × -------------------
3x – 9 7x – 14 n+3 4n + 8
7y + 28 6 1 + 2a 6 + 18a
e ------------------ × ------------------ f ---------------------- × ------------------
21 6y + 24 10 + 30a 1 – 2a
y 2 + y 4y + 6 x 2 – 3x 2x 2 + 5x
g --------------- × --------------- - × ---------------------
h ----------------
2y + 8 3y + 3 x2 9x – 27
x+3 x–3 3x + 15 x 2 – 49
i -------------- × ------------ j ------------------ × ------------------
x2 – 9 x + 1 x 2 – 25 3x – 21
a 2 + 5a + 6 a 2 – a – 2 y 2 + 3y + 2 y 2 + 7y + 12
- × ----------------------
k -------------------------- - l - × ------------------------------
--------------------------
a2 – 4 a2 – 1 y 2 + 5y + 6 y 2 + 5y + 4
x 2 + 6x + 5 x 2 + 7x + 12 m2 – 1 m 2 – 10m + 25
- × ---------------------------------
m -------------------------- - × -----------------------------------
n ----------------------------- -
x 2 + 5x + 4 x 2 + 12x + 35 m – 6m + 5
2 m 2 – 25
a2 – 4 a 2 – 16 2x 2 + 4x + 2 x 2 + 3x – 4
o --------------------------
- × --------------------------
- p ------------------------------ × ---------------------------
a 2 + 3a – 4 a 2 + 2a – 8 x2 – 1 4x + 4
3x 2 + 5x + 2 x2 + x – 6 5a 2 + 16a + 3 5a 2 – a
q ------------------------------ × --------------------------------- r - × -----------------------------
--------------------------------- -
x –x–2
2 3x 2 + 11x + 6 25a – 1 2 2a 2 + 5a – 3
x 2 – y 2 + x – y 10x – 10y ( a + b )2 – c2 a 2 + ab – ac – bc
s - × ----------------------------
--------------------------------- t ----------------------------------------- × -----------------------------------------
x 2 – 2xy + y 2 5x + 5y + 5 a + ab + ac + bc
2 a+b+c

3 Simplify:
3a + 6 a + 2 x + 2 7x + 4
a --------------- ÷ ------------ b ------------ ÷ ---------------
2 4 5x 10x
5m – 10 3m – 6 6m + 9 2m + 3
c -------------------- ÷ ----------------- d ----------------- ÷ --------------------
m+1 3m + 3 2m – 8 3m – 12
3x x2 + x 24y – 16 3y – 2
e ------------------ ÷ -------------- f --------------------- ÷ ------------------
5x + 15 x + 3 4y + 6 8y + 12
5m – 20 5m – 20 25k + 15 5k + 3
g -------------------- ÷ -----------------------
- h ---------------------- ÷ ---------------
4m + 6 2m 2 + 3m 3k – 3 3k
n2 – 9 n + 3 y + 7 y 2 – 49
i --------------- ÷ ------------ j ------------ ÷ ----------------
-
2n + 4 2 y – 7 y 2 – 7y
a 2 + 5a + 4 a2 – 9 x 2 + 6x + 9 x 2 + 5x + 6
k --------------------------
- ÷ -------------------------
- l -----------------------------
- ÷ -----------------------------
-
a 2 – 16 a 2 – a – 12 x 2 + 8x + 15 x 2 + 7x + 10
x2 – 4 x2 – x – 6 p 2 + 7p + 10 p 2 + 2p – 15
- ÷ ----------------------------
m ----------------------------- - - ÷ -----------------------------
n ----------------------------- -
x – 7x + 10 x – 3x – 10
2 2 p 2 – 2p – 8 p 2 + p – 12
n 2 – 49 n 2 + 14n + 49 2x 2 – 8x – 42 x 2 – 9x + 14
- ÷ ---------------------------------
o ---------------- - - ÷ -----------------------------
p -------------------------------- -
n2 – 9 n 2 – 6n + 9 x 2 + 6x + 9 x2 + x – 6
3x 2 – 48 x 2 + 4x 2a 2 – a – 1 6a 2 + a – 1
- ÷ -----------------
q ------------------------- r -------------------------- ÷ -----------------------------
-
x – 3x – 4 x 3 – x
2 a2 – 1 3a 2 + 2a – 1
x + y + x2 – y2 1 + x – y p2 – ( q + r )2 p–q–r
s - ÷ ---------------------
---------------------------------- t ---------------------------------------- ÷ ----------------------------------------
x 2 + 2xy + y 2 2x + 2y p + pq – pr – qr p 2 – pq – pr + qr
2

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7:08 | Addition and Subtraction of

Algebraic Fractions
Simplify: prep qu

iz
1 3 3 3 9 3 7 3
1 --- + --- 2 --- + --- 3 ------ – --- 4 ------ – ------
2 5 4 8 10 5 15 20
7:08
5 7 2 1 2 3 1 1
5 --- + --- 6 --- + ------ 7 ------ + ------ 8 --- – ------
x x a 2a 3a 2a x 4x
a 2a 5m 4m
9 ------ + ------ 10 ------- – -------
2x x 2n 3n

The Prep Quiz above should have reminded you that, when adding or subtracting fractions, the
lowest common denominator needs to be found. If the denominators involve two or more terms,
factorising first may help in finding the lowest common denominator. For example:
2 5 2 5
-------------- + --------------------------- = ---------------------------------- + ----------------------------------
x 2 – 9 x 2 + 5x + 6 (x – 3)(x + 3) (x + 3)(x + 2)

LCD
■ Here the LCD = (x − 3)(x + 3)(x + 2).
stands for Note that the factors of each denominator
lowest are present without repeating any factor
common common to both. Each numerator is then
denominator. multiplied by each factor not present in its
original denominator.

2(x + 2) + 5(x – 3)
= ---------------------------------------------------
(x – 3)(x + 3)(x + 2)
2x + 4 + 5x – 15
= ---------------------------------------------------
(x – 3)(x + 3)(x + 2)
7x – 11
= ---------------------------------------------------
(x – 3)(x + 3)(x + 2)

When adding or subtracting fractions:

• factorise the denominator of each fraction
• find the lowest common denominator
• rewrite each fraction with this common denominator and simplify.

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worked examples
2 1 2(x + 3) + 1(x + 2) 3 4 3 ( 3x – 1 ) – 4 ( 2x + 1 )
1 ------------ + ------------ = ----------------------------------------------- 2 --------------- – --------------- = -----------------------------------------------------
x+2 x+3 (x + 2)(x + 3) 2x + 1 3x – 1 ( 2x + 1 ) ( 3x – 1 )
2x + 6 + x + 2 9x – 3 – 8x – 4
= ---------------------------------- = -----------------------------------------
(x + 2)(x + 3) ■ No factorising ( 2x + 1 ) ( 3x – 1 )
was needed in these
3x + 8 x–7
= ---------------------------------- first two examples. = -----------------------------------------
(x + 2)(x + 3) ( 2x + 1 ) ( 3x – 1 )

1 2 4 3
3 --------------------------
- + ------------ 4 -------------
- – --------------
x 2 + 5x + 6 x + 3 x2 + x x2 – 1
1 2 4 3
= ---------------------------------- + ----------------- = -------------------- – ----------------------------------
(x + 2)(x + 3) (x + 3) x(x + 1) (x – 1)(x + 1)
1 + 2(x + 2) 4 ( x – 1 ) – 3x
= ---------------------------------- = -------------------------------------
(x + 2)(x + 3) x(x + 1)(x – 1)
1 + 2x + 4 4x – 4 – 3x
= ---------------------------------- = -------------------------------------
(x + 2)(x + 3) x(x + 1)(x – 1)
2x + 5 x–4
= ---------------------------------- = -------------------------------------
(x + 2)(x + 3) x(x + 1)(x – 1)

x+3 x–1
5 --------------------------- – -----------------------
x 2 + 2x + 1 x 2 – x – 2 Factorise
first.
x+3 x–1
= ---------------------------------- – ----------------------------------
(x + 1)(x + 1) (x + 1)(x – 2)
(x + 3)(x – 2) – (x – 1)(x + 1)
= --------------------------------------------------------------------------
(x + 1)(x + 1)(x – 2)
x2 + x – 6 – ( x2 – 1 )
= ---------------------------------------------------
(x + 1)(x + 1)(x – 2)
x–5
= -----------------------------------
-
( x + 1 )2( x – 2 )

Exercise 7:08 Foundation Worksheet 7:08

Addition and subtraction
of algebraic fractions
Simplify each of the following. (Note: No factorising is needed.) 1 Simplify:
1 2 5 3 1
a --- + --- b --- – ------------
1 1 1 1 1 1 x x x x+1
a ------------ + ----------- b ------------ + ------------ c ------------ – ------------
x+1 x–1 a+5 a+3 y–7 y+1 2 Simplify:
2 3 5 3 6 3 6 3
a ------ – ------
1
b -------------
2
- + -----------
d ------------ + ------------ e ------------- – ------------- f -------------- – ----------- 5a 2a x2 – 1 x – 1
x+3 x+5 m+1 m–2 t + 10 t + 2
1 3 9 7 8 7
g --------------- + ----------- h --------------- – --------------- i --------------- + ---------------
2x – 1 x – 1 3x + 2 2x + 5 5x – 1 3x + 1
3 5 9 5 1 3
j ------ + ------------ k --------------- – ------ l ------ – ---------------
2x x + 7 2x + 5 3x 2a 2a + 1
x x a 2a x+1 x+2
m ------------ + ------------ n --------------- – --------------- o ------------ + ------------
x+3 x+1 2a + 1 4a – 1 x+2 x+1
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2 Simplify. (Note: The denominators are already factorised.)

1 1 1 1
a ---------------------------------- + ------------ b -------------------- + ------------
(x + 1)(x + 2) x + 1 x(x + 2) x + 2
1 1 1 1
c ------------ – -------------------- d ----------- – ----------------------------------
x + 3 x(x + 3) x – 5 (x – 5)(x + 2)
3 4 5 3
e ---------------------------------- + ------------ f ------------ – ----------------------------------
(x + 2)(x + 3) x + 2 x + 4 (x + 1)(x + 4)
1 1 2 4
g ---------------------------------- + ---------------------------------- h ---------------------------------- + ----------------------------------
(x + 1)(x + 2) (x + 2)(x + 3) (x – 3)(x + 3) (x + 3)(x + 1)
3 5 9 7
i ---------------------------------- + ---------------------------------- j ---------------------------------- – ----------------------------------
(x + 7)(x – 1) (x + 7)(x + 1) (x + 9)(x + 3) (x + 3)(x – 1)
1 3 5 6
k -------------------------------------- + ---------------------------------- l ----------------------------------------- – -----------------------
( 2x + 1 ) ( x + 5 ) ( x + 5 ) ( x + 2 ) ( 2x – 1 ) ( 3x + 2 ) x ( 2x – 1 )
x–1 x+1 x+2 x–1
m ---------------------------------- + ---------------------------------- n -------------------- – --------------------
(x + 3)(x + 1) (x + 3)(x – 1) x(x + 3) x(x + 2)

3 Simplify, by first factorising each denominator where possible.

1 1 1 1
a -------------
- + ------------ b --------------- – ------------
x +x x+1
2 3x + 9 x + 3
2 3 5 3
c --------------- + --------------- d -------------
- + -----------
2x + 3 4x + 6 x2 – 1 x – 1
1 1 1 1
e -------------
- + --------------- f -------------
- – --------------
x 2 – 9 2x – 6 x2 + x x2 – 1
1 1 1 1
g --------------------------
- + -------------
- h -----------------------------
- + -----------------------------
-
x + 2x + 1 x – 1
2 2 x + 7x + 12 x + 8x + 16
2 2

2 4 2 4
i --------------------------
- + --------------------------
- j -----------------------------
- + --------------------------
-
x + 6x + 8 x + 5x + 6
2 2 x + 7x + 12 x + 5x + 4
2 2

3 4 3 2
k ----------------------
- – -------------------------- l ----------------------
- – --------------------------
x 2 – x – 2 x 2 – 2x – 3 x 2 – x – 6 x 2 – 2x – 3
5 3 3 4
m -------------------------
- – ----------------------- n -----------------------------
- – ---------------------------------
x 2 – 3x – 4 x 2 – x – 2 2x 2 + 7x – 4 3x 2 + 14x + 8
2 4 4 1
o ----------------
- + ----------------------------
- p --------------------------
- – -------------
-
x – 49 x – 4x – 21
2 2 2x + x – 1 x – 1
2 2

x+1 x–1 x+3 x+2

q --------------------------
- + -------------- r ----------------
- – -----------------
x 2 + 5x + 6 x 2 – 9 x 2 – 16 x 2 – 4x
2x x+1 5x + 2 3x – 1
s -------------------- + --------------------------- t ------------------------------ + -----------------
5x 2 – 20 x 2 + 4x + 4 2x 2 – 5x – 3 4x 2 – 1

CHAPTER 7 FACTORISING ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS 195