# Help solving this equation..?

• April 2nd 2010, 06:02 PM
RandomStudent
Help solving this equation..?
I'm stuck on this problem, can someone explain how to do this for me?

x+3/x+5 + 6/x^2 + 3x - 10
• April 2nd 2010, 06:06 PM
skeeter
Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomStudent
I'm stuck on this problem, can someone explain how to do this for me?

x+3/x+5 + 6/x^2 + 3x - 10

not an equation ... it's an expression.

what do the directions say?

please put in some parentheses to make clear which terms comprise numerator(s) and denominator(s) ... thank you.
• April 2nd 2010, 06:10 PM
RandomStudent
There was no directions, it just gave me the expression to solve..

(x+3)/(x+5) + 6/(x^2 + 3x - 10)
• April 2nd 2010, 06:18 PM
mr fantastic
Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomStudent
There was no directions, it just gave me the expression to solve..

(x+3)/(x+5) + 6/(x^2 + 3x - 10)

There is nothing to solve because, as has already been said, there is no equation (equations contain an equal sign).

Do you mean simplify ....? (Which has a very different meaning to solve).
• April 2nd 2010, 06:20 PM
skeeter
Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomStudent
There was no directions, it just gave me the expression to solve..

(x+3)/(x+5) + 6/(x^2 + 3x - 10)

factor the denominator of the second term ...

$\frac{x+3}{x+5} + \frac{6}{(x+5)(x-2)}
$

common denominator is $(x+5)(x-2)$ ...

$\frac{(x+3)(x-2)}{(x+5)(x-2)} + \frac{6}{(x+5)(x-2)}
$

$\frac{(x+3)(x-2)+6}{(x+5)(x-2)}$