Help solving this equation..?

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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 ...

$\frac{x+3}{x+5} + \frac{6}{(x+5)(x-2)}<br />$

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

$\frac{(x+3)(x-2)}{(x+5)(x-2)} + \frac{6}{(x+5)(x-2)}<br />$

add the fractions ...

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

finish by multiplying the two binomials in the numerator and combining like terms.

fyi ... one simplifies an expression or solves an equation. there is a difference.