PMT

RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS

1 Simplify
3x − 1 6 x + 15 3y + 3 x 2 − 25
a b c d
18 x − 6 8 x + 20 y2 + 7y + 6 x 2 − 7 x + 10

a2 − a −6 x 2 + 3x 3t 2 − 11t − 4 6 x 2 − 13 x + 6
e f g h
a 2 + 3a − 18 2x 2 + 5x − 3 t 2 − 16 12 x 2 + x − 6

2 Express as simply as possible

3x 2 4x − 4 x 2 − 36 x−6
a × b ÷
9x − 9 2x x + 7 x + 10
2
x+2
n 2 + 2n n+4 4 x − 12 x 2 + 2x
c × d ×
n 2 + 6n + 8 n2 x2 − 4 x 2 − 2x − 3
4y2 y 2 + 2 y − 15 x 2 −1 6 x 2 − 5x + 1
e ÷ f ×
2y2 + y 2 y 2 + 11 y + 5 2x 2 + 7 x − 4 3x 2 − 4 x + 1

10 x − 10 4 − 3x − x 2 a 3 − 3a 2 a2 −9
g ÷ 2 h ÷
5 x + 15 x + 7 x + 12 8a 2 − 4 a 2 a 2 + 5a − 3

3 Express as a single fraction in its simplest form

2 7 2x 1 7 3x
a + b – c –
y y+4 x−5 x+3 x( x + 2) x+2
x 5 2 5q 4 x+2
d + e + f + 2
( x − 3)( x − 1) 2( x − 1) q + 3q
2
4q + 12 3x − 3 x −x
4 x 6x 3 5t + 12 4
g + 2 h – i –
x+5 x + 8 x + 15 x −42
x+2 2t + 7t + 3
2
2t + 1

4 Simplify
x 2 − 5x 16 − x 2 2x 2 − 4x − 6 x3 − x
a b c d
6 x − 30 x 2 + 2x − 8 3 x 2 − 12 x + 9 2x 2 − x −1
3x − x 2 x 3 + x 2 − 2x 2 + 5 x − 3x 2 x 4 − 5x 2 + 4
e f g h
2 x 2 − 18 3x 2 + 4 x − 4 2 x 2 + x − 10 x2 − x − 2

5 Express as simply as possible

10 x 2 − 10 x 2 + 6x + 8 t 2 − 2t 9t 2 − 4
a × 2 b ÷
5 x + 10 x + 5x + 4 2t 2 − t − 6 6t 2 + 13t + 6
2 x 2 + 12 x + 10 4 x 2 + 20 x 8x 2 + 6x − 9 2 x 2 + 3x
c ÷ d ×
4x 2 − 7x + 3 4 x 2 − 3x 4 x 2 + 12 x + 9 6 − 8x

x 4 + 6x 2 + 5 2x 2 − 6x y 4 − 16 y2 + 4
e × f ÷
x2 −9 4x 2 + 4 5y 2 + 9y − 2 25 y 2 − 10 y + 1

 Solomon Press
 PMT

RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS continued

6 Express as a single fraction in its simplest form

5 1 3x 4
a – b –
x −1
2
2x + 2 x −42
2 x + 3x − 2
2

4 1 x +1 2
c + d +
x + 2x − 3
2
x − 3x + 2
2
x − 25
2
x + 5x
2

2x − 1 x 1 3 x
e + f + 2 + 2
x + 4x + 4
2
3x + 6 x−3 x − 3x x − 6x + 9
x 2 1 1 3
g + h – +
x − x−6
2
2 x + 3x − 2
2
x 2
3x − 2 x2
6x − 4

7 Solve
2 3 2 3
a 1– = b + =1
x 2x − 5 x −12
x +1
20 10 y +3 1 2 y −1
c +1= d – =
2x + 5x + 2
2
2x + 1 y+5 2 y
1 11 3 10 5
e 5+ = f – =
x + 5x + 6
2
x+3 1 − 4x + 4x 2
1− 4x 2
1 + 2x

7 x − 15 4
8 f(x) ≡ – , 0 < x < 5.
x − 5x
2
x−5
k
Show that f(x) = , where k is an integer to be found.
x

x−5 2
9 f(x) ≡ + , x > 1.
3x + 5 x − 2
2
3x − 1
1
Show that f(x) = .
x+2

x+2 1 8x
10 Given that f(x) ≡ , x ≠ ± 2, show that f(x) – = 2 .
x−2 f ( x) x −4

2 3
11 a Express + as a single fraction in its simplest form.
x+5 ( x + 2)( x + 5)
b Hence solve the equation
2 3 1
+ = ,
x+5 ( x + 2)( x + 5) 3
giving your answers to 2 decimal places.

3 5
12 Show that the equation – = 2 has no real roots.
4x + 2 4x + 4x + 1
2

 6 1 x −1
13 Express  –  ÷ 2 as a single fraction in its simplest form.
 x+5 x x − 25

 Solomon Press