Thread: Simplifying Complex Algebraic Fractions

Need Help figuring out the following:

Simplying Complex Algebraic Fractions:



The book equates this to this:



It says in the book that this step reduces the numerator and denominator to single fractions. That's fine but doesn't say how it's done. I can see the top fraction you can get by:



But i'm still unsure of that and don't know about the bottom fraction. I would normally look to multiply like



then cancel out the x and y's leaving:



Any suggestions advice would be great.

Cheers

BIOS

1/x - 1/y is simplified to y/xy - x/xy and u put them together into (y-x)/xy.
and the top fraction u just y^2/y to get a common denominator.
cause if u have 1/2 + 1/4 then u simplify it to 2/4 + 1/4 which u further simplify into (2 + 1) / 4

Originally Posted by BIOS

Need Help figuring out the following:

Simplying Complex Algebraic Fractions:

Multiply both numerator and denominator by .

We get

Hey guys thanks for the replies.

Originally Posted by Plato

Multiply both numerator and denominator by .

We get

Hey plato. That's the answer alright. Still don't understand the books method/step in the example i posted above!

Neither do i see how you can get to xy as a common factor so easily!

Care to explain your method a little more? Would be most appreciated

Within the complex fraction there are three 'smaller' fractions.
The common denominator of all three is
That is all there is to it.

Yeah that makes perfect sense mate thanks. Think i need to do a quick revision on fractions!

Cheers

B