# I am having trouble simplifying this. Any suggestions?

• Oct 6th 2010, 09:16 PM
PR98
I am having trouble simplifying this. Any suggestions?
[{(x-y)^2-z^2}/{(x+y)^2-z^2}]*[(x+y-z)/(x-y+z)]
• Oct 6th 2010, 09:18 PM
harish21
Do you mean:

$\frac{(x-y)^{2}-z^2}{(x+y)^{2}-z^2} \times \frac{(x+y-z)}{(x-y+z)}$ ???

If so, use ${a^2} - {b^2} = (a+b) (a-b)$ to write $(x-y)^{2}-z^2 = (x-y-z)(x-y+z)$.

do the same for the denominator and cancel out like terms!
• Oct 6th 2010, 10:34 PM
bigwave
you may want to look at this

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=[{(x-y)^2-z^2}%2F{(x%2By)^2-z^2}]*[(x%2By-z)%2F(x-y%2Bz)]

doesn't look like its going to simplify too much... that is if OP is correct..
• Oct 7th 2010, 06:28 AM
PR98
That's it!
Quote:

Originally Posted by harish21
Do you mean:

$\frac{(x-y)^{2}-z^2}{(x+y)^{2}-z^2} \times \frac{(x+y-z)}{(x-y+z)}$ ???

If so, use ${a^2} - {b^2} = (a+b) (a-b)$ to write $(x-y)^{2}-z^2 = (x-y-z)(x-y+z)$.

do the same for the denominator and cancel out like terms!

That is it! Thanks!