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Simplifying
Simplify the rational expression by factoring the GCF from each binomial and then cancelling the common factor.
Step 1 — Factor the numerator and denominator completely. The numerator has a GCF of : . The denominator has a GCF of : . The expression becomes:
Step 2 — Simplify by dividing out common factors. The binomial appears in both the numerator and the denominator, so it can be cancelled:
The simplified result is . Unlike the earlier monomial example , this example requires factoring the GCF from a binomial in both the numerator and the denominator before a common polynomial factor — here — becomes visible and can be divided out. It is generally a good practice to leave simplified rational expressions in factored form so that it is easy to verify that all common factors have been removed.
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Ch.8 Rational Expressions and Equations - Elementary Algebra @ OpenStax
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Simplifying
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