5.

1 Simplifying Algebraic Fractions

5.1 OBJECTIVES
1. Find the GCF for two monomials and simplify a
fraction
2. Find the GCF for two polynomials and simplify a
fraction

Much of our work with algebraic fractions will be similar to your work in arithmetic. For
instance, in algebra, as in arithmetic, many fractions name the same number. You will
remember from Chapter 0 that

1 12 2
 
4 42 8

or

1 13 3
 
4 43 12

1 2 3
So , , and all name the same number. They are called equivalent fractions. These
4 8 12
examples illustrate what is called the Fundamental Principle of Fractions. In algebra it
becomes

Rules and Properties: Fundamental Principle of Algebraic

Fractions
For polynomials P, Q, and R,

P PR
 when Q 0 and R 0
Q QR

This principle allows us to multiply or divide the numerator and denominator of a fraction
by the same nonzero polynomial. The result will be an expression that is equivalent to the
original one.
Our objective in this section is to simplify algebraic fractions by using the fundamental
principle. In algebra, as in arithmetic, to write a fraction in simplest form, you divide the
numerator and denominator of the fraction by their greatest common factor (GCF). The
numerator and denominator of the resulting fraction will have no common factors other
than 1, and the fraction is then in simplest form. The following rule summarizes this
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procedure.

Step by Step: To Write Algebraic Fractions in Simplest Form

NOTE Notice that step 2 uses
the Fundamental Principle of
Fractions. The GCF is R in the
rule above.
Step 1 Factor the numerator and denominator.
Step 2 Divide the numerator and denominator by the greatest common factor
(GCF). The resulting fraction will be in lowest terms.

395
396 CHAPTER 5 ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS

Example 1
Writing Fractions in Simplest Form
18
(a) Write in simplest form.
30
1 1
NOTE This is the same as 18 233 2  3  3 3
dividing both the numerator    Divide by the GCF. The slash
30 235 2  3  5 5 lines indicate that we have
18
and denominator of by 6. 1 1 divided the numerator and
30 3 denominator by 2 and by 3.
4x
(b) Write in simplest form.
6x
1 1
4x3 2  2  x  x  x 2x2
 
6x 2  3  x 3
1 1

3 2
15x y
(c) Write in simplest form.
20xy4
1 1 1 1
15x3y2 3  5  x  x  x  y  y 3x2
 
20xy4 2  2  5  x  y  y  y  y 4y2
1 1 1 1

3a2b
(d) Write in simplest form.
9a3b2
1 1 1 1
3a2b 3  a  a  b 1
 
9a3b2 3  3  a  a  a  b  b 3ab
1 1 1 1
5 4
10a b
(e) Write in simplest form.
2a2b3
1 1 1 1 1 1
10a5b4 5  2  a  a  a  a  a  b  b  b  b 5a3b
2 3    5a3b
2a b 2  a  a  b  b  b 1
1 1 1 1 1 1

CHECK YOURSELF 1
Write each fraction in simplest form.
NOTE Most of the methods of
this chapter build on our
factoring work of the last 30 5x4 12xy4 5m2n 12a4b6
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chapter. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

66 15x 18x3y2 10m3n3 2a3b4

In simplifying arithmetic fractions, common factors are generally easy to recognize.

With algebraic fractions, the factoring techniques you studied in Chapter 4 will have to be
used as the first step in determining those factors.
 SIMPLIFYING ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS SECTION 5.1 397

Example 2
Writing Fractions in Simplest Form

Write each fraction in simplest form.

2x  4 2(x  2) Factor the numerator and
(a)  denominator.
x 4
2
(x  2)(x  2)
1
2(x  2) Divide by the GCF x  2.
 The slash lines indicate that
(x  2)(x  2)
1 we have divided by that
common factor.
2

x2
1
3x2  3 3(x  1)(x  1)
(b) 2 
x  2x  3 (x  3)(x  1)
1

3(x  1)

x3
1
2x2  x  6 (x  2)(2x  3)
(c) 
2x  x  3
2
(x  1)(2x  3)
1

x2

x1
x2
C A U TI O N Be Careful! The expression is already in simplest form. Students are often tempted
x1
Pick any value, other than 0, for to divide as follows:
x and substitute. You will
quickly see that x  2 2
is not equal to
x2 2 x  1 1
Z
x1 1
The x’s are terms in the numerator and denominator. They cannot be divided out. Only
factors can be divided. The fraction
x2
x1
is in its simplest form.

CHECK YOURSELF 2
Write each fraction in simplest form.
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5x  15 a2  5a  6
(a) (b)
x2  9 3a2  6a
3x2  14x  5 5p  15
(c) (d)
3x2  2x  1 p2  4
398 CHAPTER 5 ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS

Remember the rules for signs in division. The quotient of a positive number and a
negative number is always negative. Thus there are three equivalent ways to write such a
quotient. For instance,

2 2 2
 
3 3 3
2
NOTE , with the negative The quotient of two positive numbers or two negative numbers is always positive. For
3
sign in the numerator, is the example,
most common way to write the
quotient. 2 2

3 3

Example 3
Writing Fractions in Simplest Form

Write each fraction in simplest form.

1 1
6x2 2  3  x  x 2x 2x
NOTE In part (a), the final (a)   
quotient is written in the most 3xy (1)  3  x  y y y
1 1
common way with the minus
sign in the numerator.
1 1 1
5a2b (1)  5  a  a  b a2
(b)  
10b2 (1)  2  5  b  b 2b
1 1 1

CHECK YOURSELF 3
Write each fraction in simplest form.

8x3y 16a4b2
(a) (b)
4xy2 12a2b5

It is sometimes necessary to factor out a monomial before simplifying the fraction.

Example 4
Writing Fractions in Simplest Form
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Write each fraction in simplest form.

6x2  2x 2x(3x  1) 3x  1
(a)  
2x2  12x 2x(x  6) x6

x2  4 (x  2)(x  2) x2
(b)  
x2  6x  8 (x  2)(x  4) x4
 SIMPLIFYING ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS SECTION 5.1 399

CHECK YOURSELF 4
Simplify each fraction.

3x3  6x2 x2  9
(a) (b)
9x4  3x2 x2  12x  27

Reducing certain algebraic fractions will be easier with the following result. First, verify
for yourself that

5  8  (8  5)

In general, it is true that

a  b  (b  a)

or, by dividing both sides of the equation by b  a,

ab (b  a)

ba ba

So dividing by b  a on the right, we have

NOTE Remember that a and b ab

cannot be divided out because  1
ba
they are not factors.

Let’s look at some applications of that result in Example 5.

Example 5
Writing Fractions in Simplest Form

Write each fraction in simplest form.

2x  4 2(x  2)
(a)  This is equal
4  x2 (2  x)(2  x) to 1.

2(1) 2
 
2x 2x
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9  x2 (3  x)(3  x)
(b)  This is equal
x  2x  15
2
(x  5)(x  3) to 1.

(3  x)(1)

x5
x  3

x5
400 CHAPTER 5 ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS

CHECK YOURSELF 5
Write each fraction in simplest form.

3x  9 x2  6x  27
(a) (b)
9  x2 81  x2

CHECK YOURSELF ANSWERS

5 x3 2y2 1 5 a3 x5
1. (a) ; (b) ; (c) 2 ; (d) ; (e) 6ab2 2. (a) ; (b) ; (c) ;
11 3 3x 2mn2 x3 3a x1
5(p  3) 2x2 4a2 x2 x3
(d) 3. (a) ; (b) 3 4. (a) 2 ; (b)
(p  2)(p  2) y 3b 3x  1 x9
3 x  3
5. (a) ; (b)
x3 x9

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 Name

5.1 Exercises Section Date

Write each fraction in simplest form.

ANSWERS
16 56
1. 2.
24 64
1.

80 18 2.
3. 4.
180 30
3.

4x5 10x2 4.
5. 6.
6x2 15x4
5.

9x3 25w6 6.
7. 8.
27x6 20w2
7.

8.
10a2b5 18x4y3
9. 10.
25ab2 24x2y3
9.

10.
42x3y 18pq
11. 12.
14xy3 45p2q2 11.

12.
2 2 2
2xyw 3c d
13. 14.
6x2y3w3 6bc3d 3 13.

14.
5 5 6 3
10x y 3bc d
15. 16. 15.
2x3y4 bc3d
16.

4m3n 15x3y3
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17.
17. 18.
6mn2 20xy4
18.

8ab3 14x2y 19.

19. 20.
16a3b 21xy4
20.

401
ANSWERS

21. 8r2s3t 10a3b2c3

21. 22.
16rs4t3 15ab4c
22.

23.
3x  18 4x  28
23. 24.
5x  30 5x  35
24.

25.
3x  6 x2  25
25. 26.
5x  15 3x  15
26.

27.
6a  24 5x  5
27. 28.
28. a2  16 x2  4

29.
x2  3x  2 4w2  20w
29. 30.
30. 5x  10 w  2w  15
2

31.

x2  6x  16 y2  25
32. 31. 32.
x2  64 y2  y  20

33.

34.
2m2  3m  5 6x2  x  2
33. 34.
2m2  11m  15 3x2  5x  2

35.

36. p2  2pq  15q2 4r2  25s2

35. 36.
p2  25q2 2r  3rs  20s2
2

37.

38. 2x  10 3a  12
37. 38.
25  x2 16  a2
39.
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40.
25  a2 2x2  7x  3
39. 40.
a2  a  30 9  x2
41.

42.
x2  xy  6y2 16z2  w2
41. 42.
4y2  x2 2w  5wz  12z2
2

402
 ANSWERS

43.
x2  4x  4 4x2  12x  9
43. 44.
x2 2x  3 44.

xy  2y  4x  8 ab  3a  5b  15
45. 46. 45.
2y  6  xy  3x 15  3a2  5b  a2b

46.
y7 5y
47. 48.
7y y5 47.

49. The area of the rectangle is represented by 6x2  19x  10. What is the length? 48.

49.

50.
3x  2

51.

50. The volume of the box is represented by (x2  5x  6)(x  5). Find the polynomial
that represents the area of the bottom of the box. 52.

x2
53.

54.

51. To work with algebraic fractions correctly, it is important to understand the difference
55.
between a factor and a term of an expression. In your own words, write difinitions for
both, explaining the difference between the two.

52. Give some examples of terms and factors in algebraic fractions, and explain how both
are affected when a fraction is reduced.

53. Show how the following algebraic fraction can be reduced:

x2  9
4x  12
Note that your reduced fraction is equivalent to the given fraction. Are there other
algebraic fractions equivalent to this one? Write another algebraic fraction that you
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think is equivalent to this one. Exchange papers with another student. Do you agree
that their fraction is equivalent to yours? Why or why not?

42
54. Explain the reasoning involved in each step of reducing the fraction .
56

3 27
55. Describe why and are equivalent fractions.
5 45

403
ANSWERS

a.
Getting Ready for Section 5.2 [Section 0.2]
b.
Perform the indicated operations.
3 4 5 4
c. (a)  (b) 
10 10 8 8
5 1 7 3
d. (c)  (d) 
12 12 16 16
7 9 13 5
e. (e)  (f) 
20 20 8 8
f. 11 2 5 7
(g)  (h) 
6 6 9 9
g.

Answers
h.
2 4 2x3 1 2ab3 3x2 1
1. 3. 5. 7.
3 9. 11. 2 13.
3 9 3 3x 5 y 3xy2w
2m2 b2 r 3 3(x  2)
15. 5x2y 17. 19. 21. 23. 25.
3n 2a 2
2st2
5 5(x  3)
6 x1 x2 m1 p  3q
27. 29. 31. 33. 35.
a4 5 x8 m3 p  5q
2 a  5 x  3y (y  4)
37. 39. 41. 43. x  2 45.
x5 a6 2y  x y3

47. 1 49. 2x  5 51. 53. 55.

7 1 1 5 4 3 4
a. b. c. d. e. f. 1 g. h.
10 8 3 8 5 2 3

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