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Subtracting
Subtract two rational expressions where one denominator is a difference of squares that contains the other denominator as a factor:
Step 1 — Find the LCD and rewrite each fraction. Factor the first denominator as a difference of squares: . The second denominator is already one of these factors. The LCD is .
The first fraction already has the LCD. The second fraction is missing the factor ; multiply its numerator and denominator by :
Distribute in the second numerator: .
Step 2 — Subtract the rational expressions. Subtract the numerators over the common denominator, placing the second numerator in parentheses:
Distribute the negative sign: :
Step 3 — Simplify, if possible. Factor the numerator to look for common factors: . The factor appears in both the numerator and denominator — cancel it:
This example illustrates a subtraction problem where the combined numerator shares a common binomial factor with the denominator, enabling significant simplification. Factoring as a difference of squares reveals that the second denominator is already contained within the first, so only the second fraction requires rewriting. After subtracting and factoring the numerator, the shared factor cancels, reducing the expression to a simple fraction.
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A financial analyst is calculating the net difference between two growth models using the expression 8y / (y^2 - 16) - 4 / (y - 4). To begin the subtraction, the analyst must identify the Least Common Denominator (LCD). What is the LCD for these two rational expressions?
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After correctly identifying the common denominator and subtracting the numerators, the analyst reaches this intermediate step:
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