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II.3 Rational expressions

When manipulating rational expressions, keep numerator and denominator factored, whenever possible.
Remember the rules for sign transfer
a+b − (a + b) −a−b (a + b) (a + b)
− = = = =
(a − c)(a − d) (a − c)(a − d) (a − c)(a − d) (c − a)(a − d) (a − c)(d − a)
and the useful identity à ! à !à !
a2 a a (b + a)(b − a)
1− 2 = 1+ 1− = . (II.3.1)
b b b b2

Simplify.

a−b 1/a a−b a−b

1. − ; − [ ; ℄
−c−d 1/(b − a) c+d a

a t6 z7 1 1
2. ; ; [ ; ; z5 ℄
a2 t9 z2 a t3

t−9 x0 θ−3
3. ; ; [ t−6 ; x2 ; θ−3 ℄
t−3 x−2 θ0
¶2 ¶5
a2 a10
µ µ
a 1 1
4. a ; − ; [ 1; ; − ℄
a2 a −b a2 b5

z5w 22 x6 x5
5. z −2 ; [ z 3 w4 ; ℄
w−3 28xb 7b
¶3 µ ¶−2
− a b2 c3 a5 b11 c8
µ
6.∗∗ [− ℄
c b3 − b7 c a7
¶−3
x2 z −2 y2 z x5
µ ¶µ
7.∗∗ − [− 5 6 ℄
(1/y)3 x y −1 z y
¶−3 µ ¶2
− a c3 − c7 c11 a8
µ
8.∗∗ [− ℄
bc2 a3 b5 (1/a) b7
¢−2 µ ¶−3
−u3 v −2 − (1/z 2 ) v
¡
9. ∗∗
[ −u3 vz 5 ℄
z u3
¶3 µ ¶−2
(−k/m3 ) m4
µ
∗∗ −1
10. m [− 5 4 ℄
k n2 n k n
¶3 µ ¶−2
n3 − (1/k)2 n5 m5
µ
∗∗
11. [ ℄
m (kn)2 m4 n k2

· ¸−3 " µ ¶3 # 3
∗∗ XZ 1 Y 1
12. [ ℄
(1/Y 2 )2 X Z X Y 3 Z 12
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(−1)2 ¡ ¢−3 C 5 A3
13.∗∗ −B (−C 2 ) [ ℄
A (1/A2 )2 B3C

µ ¶−3 Ã µ ¶3 !2
∗∗ XZ 1 Y 1
14. [ ℄
(−1/Y )2 X Z X 5Z 9

¶5 µ ¶3
Y /Z 2 − (Y Z)2 X7
µ
∗∗
15. [− ℄
XY3 X −4 Y 4Z 4
¶3 µ ¶2
− (−1)2 p−3 q −3 r10
µ
16.∗∗ (1/q)2 [ ℄
(−1)3 r−5 p6 q 8
¶2 µ ¶−3
(1/y) x5 x7
µ
x
17.∗∗ [ ℄
− z6 z y y −3 z9 y8
à ¶−2 !3
a3 c27
µ
a
18.∗∗ − 5 [ ℄
b4 c a−1 bc a12 b6

¶3 µ ¶−2
a2 (1/c)2 a5 b5
µ
19.∗∗ a3 − [− ℄
b (ca)2 b4 a c2
¶2 µ ¶−3
(1/y) x3 x3
µ
∗∗ x
20. [ ℄
− z2 z y −3 zy 11
¢−2 µ ¶−3
−a2 b−3
¡
∗∗ a c
21. [ ℄
c2 (1/b2 )c a7
à !3
3
∗∗ (−1)2 (−1/y) 1
22. [ ℄
(−x)10 − x−3 xy 9

¶2 µ ¶−3
g3 g3
µ
∗∗ 2 g
23. (1/f ) − −3 [− ℄
h2 hf hf 11

¶3 " µ ¶2 #−2
b2 c8
µ
−1 ¢2
∗∗
−a−2 b3 c4
¡
24. [− 9 2 ℄
a3 a a b

¶2 µ ¶−3
X3 Z2 X4
µ
25.∗∗ − (1/X)2 [− ℄
− Z2 Z Y −3 Z 7Y 9
¶−3
c15
µ
¢2 b
26.∗∗ (1/a−1 )2 c3 b−2
¡
− [− ℄
c3 (1/a) ab7
¶2 µ ¶3 µ ¶−1
− q3 − q4
µ
1
27.∗∗ [ q 7 p2 r 7 ℄
(−1)3 (1/r)2 (pq)2 r

Expand and simplify.

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