I'll use this thread for quick small questions that come up while I'm studying.

is $\displaystyle \frac{b}{b+7}$ the same as $\displaystyle \frac{1}{7}$ ?

2. Hello,

What do you mean as "the same" ?

If you try to find b such as this equation is verified, you'll find 7=1, which means that there is no solution.

3. well if $\displaystyle b = \frac{7}{6}$ yes, otherwise no.

4. Is $\displaystyle \frac{2}{2+7}$ the same as $\displaystyle \frac{1}{7}$?

5. Wooops, i did a little mistake >_<

6. I'm a bit confused, is there anything else I can do to reduce $\displaystyle \frac{b}{b+7}$ more?

Can I divide $\displaystyle b$ from the numerator and the denominator and obtain
$\displaystyle \frac{1}{1+7} \rightarrow \frac{1}{8}$ ?

8. Originally Posted by Plato
Sorry, I just realized $\displaystyle \frac{b}{b+7}$ is not the same as $\displaystyle \frac{1}{7}$, but can it be reduced to $\displaystyle \frac{1}{8}$?

9. Originally Posted by norifurippu
I'm a bit confused, is there anything else I can do to reduce $\displaystyle \frac{b}{b+7}$ more?

Can I divide $\displaystyle b$ from the numerator and the denominator and obtain
$\displaystyle \frac{1}{1+7} \rightarrow \frac{1}{8}$ ?
NO! IT CAN'T!

That is the conclusion the earlier posts are trying to steer you towards!!

Try putting in some values of b (apart from b = 1). Do you get 1/8?? Answer Plato's question: If b = 2, is $\displaystyle \frac{2}{2+7}$ the same as $\displaystyle \frac{1}{7}$? What about when b = 3? etc.

When you divide the top and bottom of a fraction by something, ALL of the top and ALL of the bottom get divided by that something.

10. Originally Posted by mr fantastic
When you divide the top and bottom of a fraction by something, ALL of the top and ALL of the bottom get divided by that something.
Thanks, that's what I hadn't completely understood, if I divide $\displaystyle \frac{b}{b+7}$ by b, I get $\displaystyle \frac{1}{1+\frac{7}{b}}$, not $\displaystyle \frac{1}{7}$ or $\displaystyle \frac{1}{8}$.

Phew... this got longer than I thought, thank you everybody for the help.

11. Originally Posted by norifurippu
Thanks, that's what I hadn't completely understood, if I divide $\displaystyle \frac{b}{b+7}$ by b, I get $\displaystyle \frac{1}{1+\frac{7}{b}}$, not $\displaystyle \frac{1}{7}$ or $\displaystyle \frac{1}{8}$.

[snip]