Addittion of Rational Algebraic Expressions

The first step in simplifying a rational expression is to determine the domain, the set of all
possible values of the variables. The denominator in a fraction cannot be zero because division by
zero is undefined. So we need to figure out what values of the variable(s) in the expression would
make the denominator equal zero. These values cannot be included in the domain, so they're
called excluded values. We discard them right at the start, before we go any further.

Once we've figured out the excluded values, the next step is to simplify. To simplify a rational
expression, we follow the same approach we'd use to simplify numerical fractions: find common
factors in the numerator and denominator. Let’s start by looking at this method for a numerical
fraction:

Now, we could have done that problem in our heads. But it was worth writing it all down, because
that's exactly how we simplify a rational expression.

So let's simplify a rational expression, using the same technique we applied to that fraction just
now. Only this time the numerator and denominator are both monomials with variables:

See—the same steps worked again. In the examples that follow, the numerator and the
denominator are polynomials with more than one term, but the same principles of simplifying will
once again apply. Factor the numerator and denominator to simplify the rational expression.

Summary

Rational expressions, or fractions containing polynomials, can be simplified much like fractions
can be simplified. To simplify a rational expression, first determine common factors of the
numerator and denominator, and then remove them by rewriting them as expressions equal to 1.

An additional consideration for rational expressions is to determine what values are excluded
from the domain. Since division by 0 is undefined, any values of the variables that result in a
denominator of 0 must be excluded. Excluded values must be identified in the original equation,
not its factored form.