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Algebra II : Understanding Rational Expressions

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Example Question #1 : Understanding Rational Expressions

Which of the following fractions is NOT equivalent to $- \frac{x-5}{2x + 3}$ ?

Possible Answers:

$\frac{x+5}{2x + 3}$

$\frac{\left -(x-5 \right )}{2x+3}$

$\frac{x-5}{-2x-3}$

$\frac{-x+5}{2x+3}$

$\frac{x-5}{\left -(2x+3 \right )}$

Correct answer:

$\frac{x+5}{2x + 3}$

Explanation:

We know that $-\frac{a}{b}$ is equivalent to $\frac{-a}{b}$ or $\frac{a}{-b}$ .

By this property, there is no way to get $\frac{x+5}{2x+3}$ from $-\frac{x-5}{2x+3}$ .

Therefore the correct answer is $\frac{x+5}{2x+3}$ .

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Example Question #1 : Rational Expressions

Determine the domain of

$\frac{x+1}{x-1}$

Possible Answers:

$x\neq1$

All real numbers

x=1

$x\neq-1$

Correct answer:

$x\neq1$

Explanation:

Because the denominator cannot be zero, the domain is all other numbers except for 1, or

$x\neq1$

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Example Question #3 : Rational Expressions

Simplify:

$\frac{x^2-1}{x^2+4x+2}\div\frac{x^2+2x+1}{x^2+3x+2}$

Possible Answers:

x-1

$\frac{x+2}{x+1}$

$\frac{x-1}{x+2}$

$\frac{x+2}{x-1}$

$\frac{1}{\frac{1}{x+1}}$

Correct answer:

$\frac{x-1}{x+2}$

Explanation:

This problem is a lot simpler if we factor all the expressions involved before proceeding:

$\frac{x^2-1}{x^2+4x+2}\div\frac{x^2+2x+1}{x^2+3x+2} \vspace{5mm}\\ = \frac{(x+1)(x-1)}{(x+2)(x+2)}\div\frac{(x+1)(x+1)}{(x+2)(x+1)}$

Next let's remember how we divide one fraction by another—by multiplying by the reciprocal:

$\frac{(x+1)(x-1)}{(x+2)(x+2)}\div\frac{(x+1)(x+1)}{(x+2)(x+1)} \vspace{5mm}\\ = \frac{(x+1)(x-1)}{(x+2)(x+2)}\times\frac{(x+2)(x+1)}{(x+1)(x+1)}$

In this form, we can see that a lot of terms are going to start canceling with each other. All that we're left with is just $\frac{x-1}{x+2}$ .

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Example Question #4 : Rational Expressions

Which of the following is the best definition of a rational expression?

Possible Answers:

$\textup{The ratio of any two real numbers.}$

$\textup{The ratio of any two imaginary numbers.}$

$\textup{The ratio of two fractions that may have a zero denominator.}$

$\textup{The ratio of two polynomials that cannot have a zero denominator.}$

$\textup{The ratio of two polynomials that must be different from each other.}$

Correct answer:

$\textup{The ratio of two polynomials that cannot have a zero denominator.}$

Explanation:

The rational expression is a ratio of two polynomials.

$\frac{A(x)}{B(x)}$

The denominator cannot be zero.

An example of a rational expression is:

$\frac{x^2+x-5}{x+8}$

The answer is:

$\textup{The ratio of two polynomials that cannot have a zero denominator.}$

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Example Question #5 : Rational Expressions

Find the values of which will make the given rational expression undefined:

$\frac{x+5}{\left ( x-1 \right )\left ( x+2 \right )}$

Possible Answers:

x = -5, 1

x = 1, -2

x = -1, -2

x = -5, +2

x = -1, 2

Correct answer:

x = 1, -2

Explanation:

If $\left ( x-1 \right ) = 0$ or $\left ( x+2 \right ) =0$ , the denominator is 0, which makes the expression undefined.

This happens when x = 1 or when x = -2.

Therefore the correct answer is x = 1, -2 .

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Example Question #6 : Rational Expressions

Simply the expression:

$\frac{4}{x+6}+ \frac{9}{x+4}$

Possible Answers:

$\frac{14x+20}{x^{2}+9x+15}$

$\frac{15x+70}{x^{2}+4x+18}$

$\frac{13x+70}{x^{2}+10x+24}$

$\frac{12x+40}{x^{2}-4x+10}$

$\frac{18x+60}{x^{2}-10x+28}$

Correct answer:

$\frac{13x+70}{x^{2}+10x+24}$

Explanation:

In order to simplify the expression $\frac{4}{x+6}+ \frac{9}{x+4}$ , we need to ensure that both terms have the same denominator. In order to do so, find the Least Common Denominator (LCD) for both terms and simplify the expression accordingly:

$\frac{4(x+4)}{(x+6)(x+4)} + \frac{9(x+6)}{(x+4)(x+6)}$

$=\frac{4(x+4) +9(x+6)}{(x+6)(x+4)}$

$=\frac{4x+16+9x+54}{x^{2}+10x+24}$

$=\frac{13x+70}{x^{2}+10x+24}$

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Example Question #7 : Rational Expressions

Simplify the expression:

$\frac{x-7}{x+3}+ \frac{9}{x^{2}+10x+21}$

Possible Answers:

$\frac{9x+18}{x^{2}+10x+9}$

$\frac{9x-63}{x^{2}+6x+5}$

$\frac{x^{2}-40}{x^{2}+10x+21}$

$\frac{7x+63}{x^{2}+8x+16}$

$\frac{7x-49}{x^{2}-6x-7}$

Correct answer:

$\frac{x^{2}-40}{x^{2}+10x+21}$

Explanation:

In order to simplify the expression $\frac{x-7}{x+3}+ \frac{9}{x^{2}+10x+21}$ , first note that the denominators in both terms share a factor:

$\frac{x-7}{x+3}+ \frac{9}{(x+3)(x+7)}$

Find the Least Common Denominator (LCD) of both terms:

$\frac{(x-7)(x+7)}{(x+3)(x+7)}+ \frac{9}{(x+3)(x+7)}$

$=\frac{x^{2}-49}{x^{2}+10x+21}+ \frac{9}{x^{2}+10x+21}$

Finally, combine like terms:

$\frac{x^{2}-49+9}{x^{2}+10x+21}$

$=\frac{x^{2}-40}{x^{2}+10x+21}$

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Example Question #8 : Rational Expressions

Simplify the expression:

$\frac{5}{x+2} -\frac{10}{x+3}$

Possible Answers:

$\frac{-5x-5}{x^{2}+5x+6}$

$\frac{-5}{x^{2}+5x+6}$

$\frac{5x-5}{x^{2}+5x-6}$

$\frac{-5x+5}{x^{2}-5x-6}$

$\frac{-5}{x}$

Correct answer:

$\frac{-5x-5}{x^{2}+5x+6}$

Explanation:

$\frac{5}{x+2} -\frac{10}{x+3}$

1. Create a common denominator between the two fractions.

$\frac{5(x+3)}{(x+2)(x+3)} -\frac{10(x+2)}{(x+3)(x+2)}$

2. Simplify.

$=\frac{5(x+3)-10(x+2)}{(x+2)(x+3)}$

$=\frac{5x+15-10x-20}{x^{2}+5x+6}$

$=\frac{-5x-5}{x^{2}+5x+6}$

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Example Question #9 : Rational Expressions

Find the values of which will make this rational expression undefined:

$\frac{x-1}{(x+2)(x-10)}$

Possible Answers:

x=-2,1

x=-2,1,10

x=-2,10

x=-10,2

x=-1,2

Correct answer:

x=-2,10

Explanation:

For a rational expression to be undefined, the denominator must be equal to .

1. Set the denominator equal to .

(x+2)(x-10)=0

2. Set the factors equal to and solve for .

x+2=0

x=-2

and

x-10=0

x=10

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Example Question #10 : Rational Expressions

Which value of makes the following expression undefined?

$\frac{x+1}{x-1}$

Possible Answers:

$\text{Cannot be determined}$

$\text{All real numbers}$

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A rational expression is undefined when the denominator is zero.

x-1=0

x=1

The denominator is zero when x=1 .

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Algebra II : Understanding Rational Expressions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Algebra II

All Algebra II Resources

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Understanding Rational Expressions

Example Question #1 : Rational Expressions

Example Question #3 : Rational Expressions

Example Question #4 : Rational Expressions

Example Question #5 : Rational Expressions

Example Question #6 : Rational Expressions

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