Short Answer

Distributing Subtraction in Rate Variance Formulas

A billing assistant in a utility company is simplifying a formula that compares seasonal rate variances, represented by the subtraction expression 2xx2−4−1x+2\frac{2x}{x^2 - 4} - \frac{1}{x + 2}. When combining the expressions, the assistant writes the combined numerator as: 2x−(x−2)(x−2)(x+2)\frac{2x - (x - 2)}{(x - 2)(x + 2)}. State the reason why the second numerator x−2x - 2 must be enclosed in parentheses when subtracting, and identify the specific algebraic property used to remove the parentheses.

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Updated 2026-09-19

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