Question

PLEASE HELP ITS URGENT?!!!

1. Explain how multiplication and division of rational expressions are similar to
multiplication and division of rational numbers.
2. Simplify the following expressions. YOU MUST SHOW WORK FOR CREDIT. You
can do your work on paper and attach a file or you can upload a digital version of
your work.
a. Multiply and simplify.
AND
2x+1
x2-1
x+1
2x²+x
9x²
b. Divide and simplify. 2+12x+36
12x
x²+6x

Answer 1

Answer/Step-by-step explanation:

1. Explain: Doing problems like 2a and 2b (mult and div of rational expressions) is just like mult and div of fractions (rational numbers). You multiply top×top straight across (numerator) and bottom×bottom (denominator). If there are common factors on top and bottom, you can "cancel" them (this is actually dividing)

For division, the same process works as for fractions. Turn the division into a multiplication by using Keep-Change-Flip. And then proceed as described for multiplication.

You can cancel common factors. For algebraic expressions, you need to factor some expressions so that you can see what can "cancel".

For work, see image.

There is a "rational number" (fractions) example beside the work for 2a and 2b to show how the problems are done the same way.