1. ## Simplifying this polynomial

$3x^2 + 2y^2 = 35$

It said the equation could be written like this:

I can't seem to figure out how they got that. Can someone explain?

2. Originally Posted by Phire

$3x^2 + 2y^2 = 35$

It said the equation could be written like this:

I can't seem to figure out how they got that. Can someone explain?
both sides have been divided by 35

could also look like $\frac{3x^2}{35} + \frac{2y^2}{35} = 1$

3. Originally Posted by pickslides
both sides have been divided by 35

could also look like $\frac{3x^2}{35} + \frac{2y^2}{35} = 1$
Yes, I knew at least that much, but how did they go further after that and get rid of the coefficients in the numerators? It couldn't have been just from dividing them out because the other terms of the equations don't look like they've been divided by them. The fractions in the denominators seem strange to me.

EDIT: Ah, nevermind, after re-writing the terms as division problems, it returns back to that form you wrote.

4. agreed it is a strange way to write this equation although if the question asked for the equation to be put in the form of

$\frac{x^2}{a}+\frac{y^2}{b}=1$

then it suits quite well..