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Someone help me with adding rational expressions?
I've been working on this problems forever. Can someone help me?!
This is a rational expression, they just need to be added.
But I can't seem to figure out the LCD,
a+2 / a^2+a-2 + 3/a^2+2a-3
2 Answers
- 8 years ago
You would foil the denominators first. a^2+a-2=(a+2)(a-1) and a^2+2a-3=(a+3)(a-1). This reveals that the LCD is (a+2)(a+3)(a-1). You would multiply the numerator and denominator of the first rational expression by (a+3) so you would get a^2+5a+6/(a+3)(a+2)(a-1). You would then multiply the numerator and denominator of the second number by (a+2) and get 3a+6/(a+2)(a+3)(a-1). Finally, add the two rational expressions and the final answer should be a^2+8a+12/(a+3)(a+2)(a-1).
- 8 years ago
a+2 / a^2+a-2 can be simplified to a+2 / (a+2)(a-1).
3 / a^2+2a-3 can be simplified to 3 / (a+3)(a-1).
So the least common denominator would be (a+2)(a+3)(a-1).
I'm sure you can take it from there.
;)
