Thread: 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)

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.

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.

I'd double check the question again to check the signs, but it seems like the answer in that book is wrong.

If the book said , then it's intended to be (as Kyo observed, and I mistakenly thought it was too when I first looked at it.)

Thanks again! Where can I find more problems like this online to practice?

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.