Almighty God, our Father, We praise and thank You

for this day. You have given us another opportunity to

appreciate life and to fulfill our mission as Your
instruments of peace and progress. Please pardon us for
our shortcomings.
Help us to amend our impieties, may we learn to
pattern our lives through Your Sons example. Father, bless
all our endeavors, especially todays meeting. In Jesus
name we pray. Amen.

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Prepared by: Ma’am Aira
 RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
A rational expression is nothing more than a fraction in which the
numerator and/or denominator are polynomials.

 A rational expression can either be a simple or a complex rational expression.

1 4
, , simple rational expression
𝑥 𝑥−1
 They contain a number or a polynomial expression in the numerator or
denominator
 They are called simple rational expressions because the numerators and the
denominators are relatively prime.

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 RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
A rational expression is nothing more than a fraction in which the
numerator and/or denominator are polynomials.
4 2𝑥
, not simple rational expressions.
8𝑥 8𝑥 2 −2
• Their numerators and denominators are not relatively prime. They must be reduced to their
simplest form by getting their GCF or by factoring.

• A complex rational expression contains fractional expression in either the numerator or the
denominator.
1 1 𝑥−1
1+𝑥 2+𝑥 3
Examples: , , 𝑥
𝑥 3
𝑥−1

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Rational Numbers: Fractions
𝑎
A rational number is of the form , where a and b are integers and 𝑏 ≠ 0. This number
𝑏
𝑎
of the form is a fraction. The term 𝑎 is the numerator and 𝑏 is the denominator.
𝑏
Reducing a fraction to its lowest term
A fraction is in its lowest form if both the numerator and the denominator do not have
a common factor aside from 1.
Examples:
6
is not in its lowest form because both the numerator and the denominator can still be
4
reduced. Both are still divisible by 2.
7
is in its lowest form because both the numerator and denominator are already prime
13
numbers.

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Note: Recall the operations on fractions
1. Determine the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of the numerator
and the denominator
2. Divide the numerator and the denominator by the GCF.
Examples:
4 7
1. = The GCF of 4 and 18 is 2 2. = The GCF of 7 and 21 is 7
18 21
4 4÷2 2 7 7÷7 1
= = . = =
18 18÷2 9 21 21÷7 3

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 RATIONAL EXPRESSION
• The simplified form of rational expression is like the simplified form of a numerical fraction.
• The numerator and denominator have no common factor other than 1.
• To simplify a rational expression, divide out a common factors from the numerator and
denominator.
• A rational expression is undefined when the denominator is 0.
𝒙−𝟏
Example 1: Simplify =?
𝟓𝒙−𝟓

𝑥−1 𝑥−1
Solution: = Factor the denominator. The numerator cannot be
5𝑥−5 5(𝑥−1)
factored.
𝑥−11
= Divide out the common factor 𝑥 − 1.
5(𝑥−1)1
1
= Simplified form.
5

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 MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION OF
RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
To multiply rational expressions:
• Recall the process in multiplying fractions.
• Write each numerator and denominator in factored
form.
• Divide out any numerator factor with any matching
denominator by denominator.
• Simplify as needed.
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 𝟔 −𝟐
Example 1: Find the product of ×
𝒂𝟐 𝒂𝟑
6 −2
= ×
𝑎2 𝑎3
6(−2)
= Multiply numerators and multiply denominators
𝑎2 𝑎3

−12
= Simplify.
𝑎5

−12
The product is 5 , where 𝑎 ≠ 0
𝑎

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 𝟏𝟔𝒙𝟑 𝟑𝟓𝒚𝟓
Example 2: Find the product of ×
𝟐𝟓𝒚𝟑 𝟒𝟖
• Rewrite the given
monomial as factors with
16𝑥 3 5.7.𝑦 3 .𝑦 2 GCF of the numerator
= 𝑥 and denominator.
5.5.𝑦 3 16 .3
• Cancel the common
Try It!
𝟓𝒙 factors.
1. 𝟔 𝒙 𝟏𝟖 7𝑥 3 𝑦 2
= • Multiply the common
15 factors.
𝟕 𝒌𝟑
2. - 𝒙
𝟐𝟏𝒌𝟐 𝟏𝟒
𝒎𝟕 𝒎𝟒
3. 𝒙
𝒎𝟑 𝒎𝟓

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 DIVISION OF RATIONAL
EXPRESSIONS
To divide rational expressions:
• Recall your process in dividing fraction
• Write an equivalent multiplication statement with the reciprocal of the divisor.
• Write each numerator and denominator in factored form. (Step 1 and 2 are
interchangeable).
• Divide out any numerator factor with any matching denominator factor.
• Multiply numerator by numerator and denominator by denominator.
• Simplify as needed.

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 𝒂𝟑 𝒂𝟓
Example 2: ÷
𝟏𝟓 𝟐𝟓
Solution:
𝑎3 25
= × Multiply the dividend by the reciprocal of the divisor.
15 𝑎5

𝑎3 5 .5
= × 3 2 Factor and cancel the common factor
5.3 𝑎 .𝑎

5
= Leave the quotient in factored form.
3𝑎2

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 𝟏 𝒙+𝟑
Example 3: Find the quotient of ÷
𝒙−𝟐 𝒙𝟐 −𝟒
1 𝑥 2 −4
= × Multiply the dividend by the reciprocal of the divisor
𝑥−2 𝑥+3

1 (𝑥+2)(𝑥−2)
= × Factor and cancel the common factor.
𝑥−2 𝑥+3

𝑥+2 Try It!

= Leave the quotient in factored form. 𝟐𝒄 𝟒
𝑥+3 1. 𝟗
÷
𝟑
𝒅𝟑 𝒅𝟐
3. ÷
𝒅𝟓 𝒅𝟔

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 ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION OF
RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
The addition and subtraction of algebraic fractions are also similar to those
of fractions.
1. When an algebraic fractions with the same denominators are added or
subtracted, we need only to add/subtract the numerators and copy the
denominator.
2 1 2+1 3 2 1 2−1 1
Example: + = = . − = =
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥

Try It!
𝟑 𝟒
1. +
𝒙−𝟓 𝒙 −𝟓
𝟑 𝟓
2. −
𝒙 −𝟕 𝒙 −𝟕

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 ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION OF
RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
2. When algebraic fractions with different denominators are added or subtracted, we have to find
least common multiple (LCM) of the denominators first in order to make denominators the same.
3 2
Example 1 : −
5 𝑥
3 𝑥 − 2(5)
=
5𝑥
3𝑥 −10
=
5𝑥

6 4
Example 2 : +
𝑎 𝑎+2
6 𝑎 + 2 + 4(𝑎)
=
𝑎(𝑎 + 2)
6𝑎+12+4𝑎 10𝑎 + 12
= =
𝑎(𝑎+2) 𝑎(𝑎+2)

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 𝟏 𝟐
Example 3: Simplify +
𝒚 𝟑𝒙
1 2
Solution: +
𝑦 3𝑥
3𝑥 2𝑦
= +
3𝑥𝑦 3𝑥𝑦
3𝑥+2𝑦
=
3𝑥𝑦
𝟐𝒃 𝒃 𝟓𝒃
Example 4: Simplify + −
𝟑𝒂 𝟐𝒂 𝟔𝒂
4𝑏 3𝑏 5𝑏
Solution: + − The LCM of 3𝑎, 2𝑎, and 6𝑎 is 6𝑎.
6𝑎 6𝑎 6𝑎

4𝑏+3𝑏−5𝑏
= Simplify by combining like terms.
6𝑎
2𝑏 𝑏
= = Simplify. Cancel the common factor.
6𝑎 3𝑎

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