Simplifying Rational Algebraic Expressions
Ever wonder why teachers insist on simplifying fractions? It's because working with 53 is way easier than dealing with 159! A rational expression is considered simplified when all common factors in the numerator and denominator have been removed.
There are two main methods to simplify fractions. You can either factor both parts and then cancel common factors, or you can divide both parts by their greatest common factor. For example, to simplify 159, you could factor it as 5⋅33⋅3 and then remove the common factor of 3, leaving you with 53.
Simplifying rational algebraic expressions follows similar steps:
- Factor the numerator and denominator completely
- Identify and cancel out any common factors
- Multiply the remaining factors to get your answer
When working with variables, the process works the same way. For example, 7x228x3 simplifies to 4x after factoring and canceling common terms. With more complex expressions like p2+p−q−q2p2−q2, factoring gives us (p+1)(p−q)(p+q)(p−q), which simplifies to p+1p+q.
Pro Tip: When you see factors with opposite signs in the numerator and denominator, try factoring out a negative number to make them match so they can be canceled!