Thread: simplify fractions

x^2+4x-21 x^2-8x+15
---------- . ------------
x^2-6x-16 x^2+9x+14





can someone just tell me the steps of solving this problem for the first step do i find the GCF first or something like that becuase i have no idea how to do this and if case you dont know its two fractions

Originally Posted by elfen_lied

x^2+4x-21 x^2-8x+15
---------- . ------------
x^2-6x-16 x^2+9x+14



can someone just tell me the steps of solving this problem for the first step do i find the GCF first or something like that becuase i have no idea how to do this and if case you dont know its two fractions

Hmm.

I'm assuming that says the following:

[(x^2 + 4x - 21)/(x^2 - 6x - 16)]*[(x^2 - 8x + 15)/(x^2 + 9x + 14)]

Factor:

x^2 + 4x - 21 = (x - 3)*(x + 7)

x^2 - 6x - 16 = (x - 8)*(x + 2)

x^2 - 8x + 15 = (x - 5)*(x - 3)

x^2 + 9x + 14 = (x + 2)*(x + 7)

Are you able to take it from here?