Foundation worksheet

3:02A Simplifying algebraic fractions

Name: Class:

Examples
Simplify.
x x 3a a
1 4
------ + 3
------ 2 7
------ − 5
------ 3 --- + --- 4 ------ − ---
11 11 12 12 2 5 5 4
7 2
= ------ = ------ 5x 2x
= ------ + ------
12a 5a
= --------- − ------
11 12
10 10 20 20
1
= --- 7x 7a
6 = ------ = ------
10 20

• You need the same denominator.

• Cancel to simplify, if needed.

Exercise
1 Simplify.
a 1--- + 3--- 4 3
- + -----
b ----- - 8 3
- + -----
c ----- - d 4--- − 1---
7 7 13 13 20 20 5 5

e 8--- − 1--- f 6
------ − 4
------
2
- + ------
g ----- 7
h 2--- + 5---
9 9 11 11 11 11 9 9

2 Simplify.
7
- − ----- - + ----- 3 + 11 7 − 4
3 5 1
a ----- - b ----- - c -----
- ------ d -----
- ------
10 10 12 12 20 20 15 15

e 7--- − 1--- f 1
------ + 7
------ ------ + -----
g 13 3
- h 5--- − 2---
8 8 10 10 20 20 9 9

i 18
------ + 2
------ j 13
------ − 5
------ 2 + 8
k -----
- ------ l 11
------ − 7
------
25 25 16 16 15 15 20 20

3 Simplify.
x 2x 4c c 7y y 2p 4p
a --- + ------ b ----- − --- c ------ + ------ d ------ + ------
5 5 9 9 12 12 25 25
m m 2b 3x
--a- − -----
a- b x
e ---- + ---- f g ------ + --- h --- + ------
4 3 3 10 5 4 6 5
2n 4n 7q q 2c c 3d − d
i ------ − ------ j ------ + --- k ----- − --- l ------ ---
3 7 10 2 5 8 4 6
3x 4x 7m 2m 3t t 17m 3m
m ------ + ------ n ------- − ------- o ----- + --- p ----------- − -------
5 15 8 3 5 6 20 4
x x 3a a 7k k 5n 4n
q --- − ------ r ------ − --- s ------ + --- t ------ − ------
6 10 4 3 10 4 2 3

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