7/8/2011

Factoring By Grouping
a 3 b 3 a b a 3 b 3 a b

Identify patterns of common factors.

a b a

x 3 x x 3 x 3x x 3
3

x x 3 x 3
2

a b a 2 ab b 2 a b
2

ab b 1

x 1 x 3
2

x 1x 1x 3
2

x y 4 y 4 x2 y2 4 y 4

PRACTICE!!!!

x 2 y 2
x y 2 x y 2

MATH 17 Y: Supplementary
Topics

TIME TO THINK

Laws of Exponents

If
what is the value of

1
an

a 0 1 ,a 0

an
p q

a a a pq

R1.

ap

R2.

54

1
53

2s3

(3) 2 ( 3)5 ( 3) 25 (3)3 27

73
7

735 7 2

3n

3n

1
7

1
49

a

b

a pq

ap
bp

EXAMPLES

5
2 c 32c

24 s 3

2c

1
1

5 5 5 125

R5.

a pq

Math Division,IMSP,UPLB

5 3

a p

ab p a pb p

R3.

EXAMPLES

R4.

5 5

24 s12 16s12

5
5
2 2 32

243
35
3

2a 2b3c 5
4 1 2
3a b c

9c14
4a 4b8

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TRY THE FOLLOWING!

a) 353234
7 3 2 3 5 4
c) 5 2 2
25 7
2 3 3 2
e) 2 1
2 3

b)

5 2 5 3
5 7 5 2
1

d ) ( 2 1 3 2 ) 1

1 1

2 9

2 1

d) (2 3 )
f)

5 2 2 2
60 10 2

52 2 2
6 0 102
1 1

25 4
1
1
100

29

18

11

18

18
11

f)

4 25
100
101
100

29
29 100 29
100

101
101 100 101
100

The Set of Polynomials Together with

+ and

Chapter 1.5
The Field of Algebraic
Expressions

Polynomial
A polynomial, P x , can be written
as

It is a commutative ring with identity.

Not all polynomials have inverses.

Rational Expressions
Rational Expressions are algebraic
expressions that are quotients of
polynomials.

P x a0 a1 x a2 x 2 ... an x n
P x

The numerical coefficients are

real numbers.

Q x

Q x 0

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Rational Expressions

Example 1.5.1

A rational expression is in its

simplest form if the polynomials
in the numerator and denominator
are relatively prime.

Express the following in simplest

form.

1.

ac a
, where c 0
bc b

Example 1.5.1

x 2 4 x 2 x 2

x 2
x 2
x 2, x 2

Example 1.5.1

Express the following in simplest form.

2.

x 2 12x 35 x 5 x 7

x 2 3x 10 x 5 x 2

x 7
,
x 2

2
x 3 27 x 3 x 3x 9
3.

x 3
x 3
x 2 3x 9, x 3

x 5

Similar Rational Expressions

Example 1.5.2
Write the following as similar
rational expressions.

Similar rational expressions are

those that have the same denominator.

1.

3
x2

1 x
x2
Similar

x2 1
x3

x
x3 1

NOT Similar

3
2
,
LCD : x 1 x 1
x 1 x 1
3 x 1
3
3x 3

x 1 x 1 x 1 x 2 1
2 x 1
2
2x 2

x 1 x 1 x 1 x 2 1

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Example 1.5.2
x
5
,
x 2 x 2 3

2.

Example 1.5.2

LCD : x 2

x x 2
x

3
x 2
x 2

3.

2
1
,
LCD : x 3
x 3 3 x
1 1
1
1
1

3 x x 3 x 3 1 x 3
2
x 3

5
3

x 2

Example 1.5.3

Addition of Rational Expressions

Perform the indicated operation.

Definition
Let P x ,Q x , and R x be polynomials
in x then
P x
Q x

R x
Q x

P x R x

Example 1.5.3
1
x

x 1 x 1 3

LCD : x 1

1 x 1 x

x 1

x 2 2x 1 x
x2 x 1

x 1

x 2

x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2
2x 2

x 2 x 2

2x 2
x2 4

Multiplication of Rational Expressions

3

Definition
Let P x ,Q x , R x , and S x be
polynomials in x then

x 1

1
x

LCD : x 2 x 2
x 2 x2 4
1
x

x 2 x 2 x 2

Q x

Q x 0

2.

1.

x2 x 1
x 3x 2 3x 1
3

P x R x P x R x

Q x S x Q x S x
Q x ,S x 0

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Example 1.5.4

Example 1.5.4

Perform the indicated operation.

1.

2.

3
2

x 1 x 1
6

x 1 x 1

x x2 x 6

x 2 x 3
x x 3 x 2

x 2
x 3
x , x 3, 2

6
x2 1

Example 1.5.4
3.

Example 1.5.4

x 2 2x 1 x 2 1

3
x 1
x 1

x 1
x 1
x 1
,
x 1

4.

2 4 x2

2 x

x 2 4x 8
2 x 2 4 x 2

x 2
4 x 2

x 1 x 1

2 x 2 x 2 x 2

x 2
x 2
2 x 2 , x 2

x 1

x 1

Properties of the Set of Rational

Expressions with + and
1. The sum/product of two rational
expressions is a rational expression.
2. Addition/Multiplication of two rational
expressions is associative.
3. Addition/Multiplication of two rational
expressions is commutative.
4. Multiplication is distributive over
Addition of rational expressions.

2x 4,

x2

Additive and Multiplicative Identity

P x
Q x

P x
Q x

and

P x
Q x

P x
Q x

5. 0 is the additive identity.

1 is the multiplicative identity.

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Additive Inverses
P x
Q x

P x
Q x

P x P x
Q x

6. The additive inverse of

P x
Q x

Multiplicative Inverses
0

P x
Q x

is

P x Q x

1,
Q x P x

7. The multiplicative inverse of

is

P x ,Q x 0

Q x
P x

Properties of the Set of Rational

Expressions with + and

P x
Q x

Subtraction and Division

P x
Q x

R x
S x

P x
Q x

R x
S x

The set of rational expressions,

together with + and is a field.

P x
R x

Example 1.5.5

2x 1 x 2

S x

P x S x

Q x R x

Example 1.5.5

Perform the indicated operations.

x 3 x 4
1.

LCD : 2x 1 x 2
2x 1 x 2
x 3 x 2 x 4 2x 1

2x 1 x 2
x 2 5x 6 2x 2 7x 4

Q x

x 2 5x 6 2x 2 7 x 4

2x 1 x 2

x 2 5x 6 2x 2 7 x 4
2x 1 x 2

x 2 2x 10
x 2 2x 10

2x 1 x 2 2x 2 3x 2

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Example 1.5.5
2.

Example 1.5.5

1
x
1

LCD : x 3 x 3
x 3 3 x x2 9
1
x
1

x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3

1 x 3 x x 3 1

x 3 x 3

x 3 x 2 3x 1
x 3 x 3

x 2 4x 4
x2 9

3.

x 2 x 2 x 2 4x 4

x2 x 6
x2 9
x2 x 2
x2 9
2
2
x x 6 x 4x 4
x 2 x 1 x 3 x 3

x 3 x 2 x 2 2

x 1 x 3 , x 2,3
x 2 x 2

Example 1.5.5

Example 1.5.5

x 1 x 3 , x 2,3
x 2 x 2

x 2 4x 3
, x 2,3
x2 4

1 2
x 2
2
2
x 2 x2
4. x x x
2
3 1
3x 1
x
3x 1
2
x x
x2

x 2
, x 0
3x 1

MORE EXAMPLES

Try the following!

Simplify the following

1

x 9
x 91

4 x 2 9 6 x 2 2 x 48

2x 4
2x x2
x 2

2 x
x 2

2 x

x 92
9x
9 x 4 x3
, x 2
12 x 2 4 x 96
x2 4
,x 0
x2 4

a
a2 b2
a2 b2

2
ba
a b
a 2ab b 2

1.

a
a 2 b2 a2 2ab b2

ba
a b
a2 b2
2
2
a
a b
a b 2

ba
ab
a b a b

a a2 b2

a b 2

,a b,b

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Complex Fractions

Try the following!

2.

1
1

1
x

1
x
1
x 1

Summary
In this section, we learned

1
x 1
x

How to simplify a rational expression

ac
a

,c 0
bc
b

How to multiply and divide rational expressions

a c
ac

b d
bd

1
x 1 x
x

a
c
a d
ad

b
d
b c
bc

How to add(subtract) rational expressions

a c
a

b b
b

1 x , x 0 ,1

a
c
ad bc

b d
bd

Mathematics Division, IMSP, UPLB

MATH DIVISION, IMSP, UPLB

Summary
That we should not divide by zero
That we should not cancel terms
That factoring a 1 is sometimes needed to simplify a
rational expression
That in simplifying complex fractions, we should identify
the main division bar and consider the problem as a
division problem.

MATH DIVISION, IMSP, UPLB

45