COMPLEX FRACTION

A Complex Fraction is a fraction in which the numerator or denominator is a fraction. It is often

necessary to represent a complex fractions as a simple fraction.

1 1 20
+ 𝑥−8+𝑥+4
𝑥 2
Example: Simplify: (a) 1 1 (b) 24
− 𝑥−10+𝑥+4
𝑥2 4

Solution:

1 1
+
𝑥 2
a) 1 1 The LCM of 𝑥, 2, 𝑥 2 , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 4 𝑖𝑠 4𝑥 2
−
𝑥2 4
1 1 1 1 1 1
+ + 4𝑥 2 .4𝑥 2 + .4𝑥 2
𝑥 2 𝑥 2 𝑥 2
1 1 = 1 1 . 2 =
1 1
− − 4𝑥 .4𝑥 −4.4𝑥 2
2
𝑥2 4 𝑥2 4 𝑥2
4𝑥+2𝑥 2
=
4−𝑥 2
2𝑥(2 + 𝑥)
=
(2 − 𝑥)(2 + 𝑥)
2𝑥
=
2−𝑥

20
𝑥−8+
𝑥+4
b) 24 The LCM is 𝑥 + 4
𝑥−10+𝑥+4

20 20
𝑥−8+𝑥+4 𝑥+4 𝑥(𝑥+4)−8(𝑥+4)+𝑥+4.(𝑥+4)
24 . = 24
𝑥−10+𝑥+4 𝑥+4 𝑥(𝑥+4)−10(𝑥+4)+𝑥+4.(𝑥+4)

𝑥 2 +4𝑥−8𝑥−32+20 𝑥 2 −4𝑥−12
= =
𝑥 2 +4𝑥−10𝑥−40+24 𝑥 2 −6𝑥−16

(𝑥−6)(𝑥+2) 𝑥−6
= =
(𝑥−8)(𝑥+2) 𝑥−8