^~. . ,:~~.

~:- r-`
~, ~~~ --~
CanceIing Like Factors
When we reduce a common Iraction such as

we do so by noticing that there is a Iactor common to both the numerator and the denominator (a
Iactor oI 2 in this example), which we can divide out oI both the numerator and the denominator.

We use exactly the same procedure to reduce rational expressions.

..... ....
ach term in the numerator must have a Iactor that cancels a common Iactor in the denominator.
,
but

cannot be reduced because the 2 is not a common Iactor oI the entire numerator.
# ou can only cancel a Iactor oI the entire numerator with a Iactor oI the entire
denominator .

However, as an alternative, a Iraction with more than one term in the numerator can
be split up into separate Iractions with each term over the same denominator; then
each separate Iraction can be reduced iI possible:

O Think oI this as the reverse oI adding Iractions over a common denominator.
Sometimes this is a useIul thing to do, depending on the circumstances. ou end up with
simpler Iractions, but the price you pay is that you have more Iractions than you started
with.

O Polynomials must be Iactored Iirst. ou can`t cancel Iactors unless you can see the
Iactors:
ampIe:

O Notice how canceling the ( 2) Irom the denominator leIt behind a Iactor oI 1
...,.... . .....
Same rules as Ior rational numbers!
:ItipIication
O oth the numerators and the denominators multiply together
O ommon Iactors may be cancelled beIore multiplying



ampIe:

Given 6uation:

First Iactor all the expressions:
(I also put the denominators in parentheses
because then it is easier to see them as
distinct Iactors)

Now cancel common Iactorsany Iactor
on the top can cancel with any Iactor on the
bottom:



Now just multiply what`s leIt.
ou usually do not have to multiply out the
Iactors, just leave them as shown.


Division
O ultiply by the reciprocal oI the divisor
O Invert the second Iraction, then proceed with multiplication as above
O o not attempt to cancel Iactors beIore it is written as a multiplication
~... . ....
Same procedure as Ior rational numbers!
O Only the numerators can add together, once all the denominators are the same
Finding the LCD
O The L is built up oI all the Iactors oI the individual denominators, each Iactor included
the most number oI times it appears in an individual denominator.
O The product oI all the denominators is always a common denominator, but not
necessarily the L (the Iinal answer may have to be reduced).




ampIe:
Given e6uation:

Factor both denominators:

Assemble the L:
Note that the L contains both
denominators



uild up the Iractions so that they both
have the L Ior a denominator:
(keep both denominators in Iactored Iorm
to make it easier to see what Iactors they
need to look like the L)


Now that they are over the same
denominator, you can add the numerators:

And simpliIy:







RRIQR) BXFRBHHIQH
The 6uotient oI two polynomials is called a rational expression. Rational expressions are
to polynomials what rational numbers are to integers. The goal here is to learn to do everything
that you do with Rational Numbers with rational expressions. The isn't too diIIicult as long as
you know two things well, rational number arithmetic and polynomial Iactoring. II you need
some review on either oI these please read Rational Numbers or Factoring Polynomials. It is
also a good idea to have an understanding oI Iinding Ls oI numbers by prime Iactoring,
because we will be doing the same thing Ior polynomials. For review on that see How to Prime
Factor a Number and GFs and Ls.
SIMPLIFICATION
SlmpllflcaLlon ls also called reduclng Lo lowesL Lerms wlLh number fracLlons When you reduce
fracLlons Lo lowesL Lerms you dlvlde Lop and boLLom by common facLors See 8aLlonal numbers for an
explanaLlon of why Lhls can be done WlLh algebralc fracLlons you do Lhe same Lhlng and you musL
remember LhaL lL ls only common fn LhaL you can dlvlde ouL ?ou normally keep Lrack of whaL you
are dolng wlLh Lhls by facLorlng Lhe Lop and boLLom and Lhen crosslng ouL any fn LhaL are Lhe same
upsLalrs as downsLalrs buL make sure you remember LhaL you are Laklng ouL common facLors so you
musL facLor before you cancel anyLhlng ouL and you can only cross ouL common fn of Lhe whole
Lop and boLLom noL [usL anyLhlng LhaL looks Lhe same upsLalrs and downsLalrs ln general ln algebra lf
you are ever unsure abouL wheLher you can do someLhlng one way you can LesL lL ouL ls Lo replace Lhe
varlables wlLh numbers and see lf whaL you are Lhlnklng abouL dolng would sLlll make sense
ampIe 1:
Slmpllfy

SoI:tion:

pIanation:
8efore dolng any slmpllfylng we musL facLor ln Lhe sLyle LhaL we facLor polynomlals lf Lhese
were numbers youd acLually do Lhe addlLlon and subLracLlon before Lrylng Lo Lake ouL a common facLor
buL you canL do LhaL here because you donL know whaL x ls So Lhe only way you can hope Lo Lake ouL
a common facLor ls Lo facLor by Lhe meLhods LhaL you use Lo facLor polynomlals ln Lhls case we are ln
luck because boLh Lhe Lop and Lhe boLLom have common facLors And Lhen when we facLor Lhem LhaL
way we do ln facL geL a common facLor ln Lhe Lop and boLLom LhaL we can dlvlde ouL So we dlvlde Lop
and boLLom by 8 and we can show Lhls ln a klnd of shorLhand noLaLlon by crosslng ouL Lhe Lwo 8s 1hls
klnd of cancellng noLaLlon ls a very useful shorLhand buL you musL be very careful noL Lo mlsuse lL no
we canL go any farLher ln Lhls problem uonL be LempLed Lo cancel ouL Lhe xs Lhey are noL facLors
nelLher x+2 nor x2 wlll facLor so Lhere can be no more common facLors Lo Lake ouL
ampIe 2:
Slmpllfy

SoI:tion:

pIanation:
Same Lhlng here excepL LhaL Lhe facLorlng ls a blL more compllcaLlon Pere Lhe Lop ls a dlfference
of squares and Lhe boLLom ls a perfecL square lve wrlLLen Lhe cancellng ln a funny sorL of way LhaL lsnL
really qulLe legal buL lL works here l am cancellng Lhe p+3 upsLalrs wlLh one of Lhe p+3s downsLalrs
and as a qulck way of showlng lL l [usL crosslng ouL Lhe 2 8e careful lf you do Lhls lL wlll only work lf Lhe
exponenL ls 2 CLherwlse you have Lo lower Lhe exponenL by one Agaln Lhls ls as far as we can go 1he
ps ln Lhe flnal expresslon wonL cancel because Lhey are noL common facLors nelLher p3 nor p+3 wlll
facLor
MULTIPLICATION
1o mulLlply raLlonal expresslons mulLlply sLralghL across Lhe numeraLor by Lhe numeraLor
and Lhe denomlnaLor by Lhe denomlnaLor See 8aLlonal numbers for an explanaLlon of why ?ou
should also be sure Lo do cross cancellng Lo keep from havlng Lo slmpllfy aL Lhe end lacLor everyLhlng
ln slghL and Lhen cancel ouL any fn LhaL ls upsLalrs wlLh any fn LhaL ls downsLalrs no maLLer
where Lhey are ln Lhe problem
ampIe 3:
,ulLlply

SoI:tion:

pIanation:
lacLor everyLhlng ln slghL and Lhen sLarL cancellng lor Lhe flrsL Lop we are looklng for Lwo
numbers Lo mulLlply Lo 9 and add Lo 10 so LhaL ls 1 and 9 buL lL ls really 1 and 9 because Lhe mlddle
Lerm ls negaLlve lor Lhe second boLLom we are looklng for Lwo numbers Lo mulLlply Lo 36 and subLracL
Lo 3 1haL would be 9 and 4 Slnce Lhe mlddle Lerm ls negaLlve we wanL Lhe blgger one Lhe 9 Lo be
negaLlve and Lhe smaller one Lhe 4 Lo be poslLlve See lacLorlng olynomlals for an explanaLlon of Lhls
klnd of Lhlnklng when facLorlng polynomlals LoLs of Lhlngs cancel ouL here l have color coded lL so LhaL
you can see whaL cancels wlLh whaL AfLer cancellng we mulLlply everyLhlng LhaL ls lefL lf noLhlng ls lefL
Lhere ls always a 1
ampIe 4:
,ulLlply

SoI:tion:

pIanation:
Pere we need Lhe dlfference of cubes formula Lo facLor lL doesnL maLLer LhaL Lhe denomlnaLor
of Lhe second one wonL facLor because lL ls golng Lo cancel ouL anyway As Lo Lhe form of Lhe flnal
answer ln my class and probably ln many oLher algebra classes lL ls consldered Lo be all rlghL Lo leave
your answer ln facLored form because lL ls [usL a loL of exLra work dolng someLhlng LhaL you already
have been LesLed on Lo mulLlply everyLhlng ouL and really facLored form ls [usL as good a form for a
polynomlal as sLandard form

IVISION
1o dlvlde [usL llke wlLh numbers you lnverL Lhe second one and mulLlply See 8aLlonal
numbers for an explanaLlon why 1o mulLlply see Lhe lnsLrucLlons above
ampIe 5:
ulvlde

SoI:tion:


pIanation:
1urn Lhe second one upslde down rlghL away and afLer LhaL everyLhlng goes Lhe same as wlLh
mulLlpllcaLlon LoLs of facLorlng pracLlce ln one llke Lhls
LCMS
lor addlng and subLracLlng raLlonal expresslons we need Lo be able Lo flnd LC,s of polynomlals
1o do Lhls we can use Lhe same prlme facLorlng meLhod LhaL we use wlLh numbers See CCls and LC,s
1he ldea ls LhaL Lhe facLorlzaLlon of each of Lhe polynomlals has Lo occur ln Lhe facLorlzaLlon of Lhe LC,
so LhaL lL wlll be a mulLlple buL we donL wanL Lo use any more facLors Lhan necessary so LhaL lL wlll be
Lhe LLAS1 common mulLlple keep ln mlnd lf you geL confused wlLh Lhls LhaL your answer musL be a
mulLlple of each of Lhe glven polynomlals
One thing that is diIIerent with polynomials is that when we are dealing with numbers we
don't normally use negative numbers, so it is not possible Ior something to be only oII by a
minus sign Irom something else. This is possible with polynomials, and it is good to know what
to do about it. What you do basically is that you ignore it. Signs oI the whole polynomial don't
matter Ior Ls, because you can always multiply one by -1 to get the other.