# Help with dividing rational expressions.

• Dec 13th 2012, 10:53 AM
bgreenlee
Help with dividing rational expressions.
• Dec 13th 2012, 12:32 PM
skeeter
Re: Help with dividing rational expressions.
completely factor each numerator and denominator, then remember that division is multiplication by the reciprocal.
• Dec 13th 2012, 12:56 PM
bgreenlee
Re: Help with dividing rational expressions.
Yeah I did that but what is throwing me off is I know with dividing you flip the second expressions numerator and denominator to multiply them but do I flip the middle expression and the expression on the very right or just the middle one?
• Dec 13th 2012, 02:10 PM
skeeter
Re: Help with dividing rational expressions.
Quote:

Originally Posted by bgreenlee
Yeah I did that but what is throwing me off is I know with dividing you flip the second expressions numerator and denominator to multiply them but do I flip the middle expression and the expression on the very right or just the middle one?

follow the order of operations ...

$\frac{a}{b} \div \frac{c}{d} \div \frac{e}{f}$

$\frac{a}{b} \times \frac{d}{c} \div \frac{e}{f}$

$\frac{ad}{bc} \div \frac{e}{f}$

$\frac{ad}{bc} \times \frac{f}{e}$