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Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding simplifying

rational expressions?
When dividing one rational expression by another rational expression, you
can rewrite your expression as a multiplication problem.
When multiplying two rational expressions together, you must first have a
common denominator.
When adding two rational expressions together, you must first have a
common denominator,
When multifying two rational expressions together, the numerators get
multiplied together while the denominators get multiplied together.

1 Answer

1 vote

Answer:

The only untrue statement is

- When multiplying two rational expressions together, you must first have a

common denominator.

Explanation:

A rational expression has a rational numerator and a rational denominator.

To investigate each of these statement, we take two arbitrary rational expressions

Rational expression 1 = (a/b)

Rational expression 2 = (c/d)

Taking the statements one at a time

- When dividing one rational expression by another rational expression, you

can rewrite your expression as a multiplication problem.

(a/b) ÷ (c/d) = (a/b) × (d/c)

This statement is obviously true.

- When multiplying two rational expressions together, you must first have a

common denominator.

(a/b) × (c/d) = (ac/bd)

We do not need b = d to do this multiplication, hence, this statement is false.

- When adding two rational expressions together, you must first have a

common denominator,

(a/b) + (c/d)

We first take an LCM, so that we then have

(ad/bd) + (bc/bd)

= (ad + bc)/bd

This statement is true also.

- When multiplying two rational expressions together, the numerators get

multiplied together while the denominators get multiplied together.

(a/b) × (c/d) = (ac/bd)

This statement is true.

So, only the second statement is not true.

Hope this Helps!!!

User Mark Streatfield
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