# How do I simplify this fraction?

• October 12th 2012, 02:34 PM
PCaa
How do I simplify this fraction?
How do I simplify this fraction? The top line reads x squared plus x to the 4th power...

x2 + x4
-------------
1-(x+1)(x-1)
• October 12th 2012, 02:41 PM
johnsomeone
Re: How do I simplify this fraction?
Multiply out the denominator (the (x+1)(x-1) ) and then simplify the denominator.
After doing that, you'll be able simplify greatly by looking to simplify between the numerator and denominator.
• October 12th 2012, 08:21 PM
PCaa
Re: How do I simplify this fraction?
Thanks, can you show your work? The book I have gives "x2 +1" as the answer. I can't get that answer, and I think the book may be wrong.
• October 12th 2012, 09:36 PM
Kyo
Re: How do I simplify this fraction?
I'd double check the question again to check the signs, but it seems like the answer in that book is wrong.
• October 12th 2012, 09:49 PM
johnsomeone
Re: How do I simplify this fraction?
If the book said $1+x^2$, then it's intended to be $\frac{x^2 + x^4}{1+(x+1)(x-1)}$ (as Kyo observed, and I mistakenly thought it was too when I first looked at it.)
• October 12th 2012, 09:59 PM
PCaa
Re: How do I simplify this fraction?
Thanks again! Where can I find more problems like this online to practice?
• October 12th 2012, 10:14 PM
Kyo
Re: How do I simplify this fraction?
Are you practicing for class or perhaps you're studying on your own? I'm just asking this so that there might be an "official" name to this class of polynomial. If you do know, google the title and add "worksheets", and there should be many sources.

From what I'm seeing, these problems are leading to (or from) factorization, difference of squares, binomial reduction and polynomial reduction.