M Prakash Institute STD VII

Pre Foundation Lecture 6

ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS
• What are Algebraic fractions?
Algebraic fractions are fractions that contain at least one variable. Such fractions involve
variables and/or constants, either by themselves or in a combination together.
x x − 5 3a + b
e.g. ; ;
2 3 a−b
VARIABLE
A number which can take various numerical values is known as a variable.
Example: x, y, z, etc.
A number which is the product of a constant and a variable is also a variable.
Example: 5x6 , 6x2 − 3x, etc.
A combination of two or more variables separated by a “+” sign or a “-” sign is also a
variable.
Example: x2 + y + z 5 , x3 − y 3 − z 2 , etc.

CONSTANT
A number having a fixed numerical value is called a constant.
3
Example: 5, , 3, 6, 2, 3, etc.
4

• Algebraic fractions are subject to the same laws as arithmetic fractions.

• Operations on Algebraic Fractions

Addition & Subtraction

• For fractions with same Ds : Add/Subtract their Ns and keep the D as it is
5x 4x x x−5 x+2 2x − 3
e.g. − = ; + =
3 3 3 3 3 3
• For fractions with different Ds:
N of the answer: Sum /Difference of cross multiplications of Ns × Ds
D of the answer: Product of Ds of the two fractions.
x 3x x x−5 x+2 8x − 19
e.g. − = ; + =
3 10 30 3 5 15
• Sometimes the denominators are multiples / factors of one another or some common
number. In such cases, we find the LCM of these denominators for simplifying the calcula-
tions. In case of Algebraic fractions, this LCM is also called as LCD (Lowest common
Denominator).
7x 5x 7x + 15x 22x 11x 3a 2 9a − 4
e.g., + = = = ; − =
12 4 12 12 6 10 15 30
Multiplication of Algebraic Fractions
• Multiply the Ns. of the two fractions to get the numerator of the product and the Ds.
to get the denominator of the product.
3x 7x 21x2 x x+2 x2 + 2x
e.g. × = ; × =
5 4 20 3 5 15
Division of Algebraic Fractions
• Write the reciprocal of second fraction and multiply with the first fraction.
3x 9x2 3x 7 7 x+2 3 x + 2 25 5x + 10
e.g. ÷ = × 2 = ; ÷ = × =
5 7 5 9x 15x 5 25 5 3 3

Classwork:

1. Write down the lowest common denominator for these pairs of fractions.
a 7a x 4xy 3xy −3x 2 3
(a) , (b) , (c) , (d) ,
3 4 2 6 7 14 x 2x
2. Simplify by cancelling common factors.
10x 24x 5a 7
(a) (b) (c) (d)
2 6 20 21a
2
−48x 120ab2
(e) (f)
16xy 140ab
3. Simplify by cancelling common factors.
4x + 8 6a − 30 6x − 18 5 − 15y
(a) (b) (c) (d)
4 6 2 5
2
x + 2x 6x − 4x2
(e) (f)
x 2x
4. Simplify the following.
3 x−1 x+4 2 6 − 18x 5 b−1 5
(a) × (b) × (c) × (d) ×
x 6 10 x 2 1 − 3x 10 1−b
5. Simplify the following.
x x x+4 x+4 6x − 12 x − 2
(a) ÷ (b) ÷ (c) ÷
5 15 2 6 5 3
5 15 2x − 6 x−3
(d) ÷ (e) ÷
3a + 4 −15a − 20 5x − 20 x − 4
6. Simplify the following.
2 a 3 a 3 3b 2 4x
(a) + (b) + (c) − (d) +
3 7 8 2 10 2 5 15
−4 2 −9 1
(e) − (f) −
x 3 2x 3
7. Simplify the following algebraic expressions.
x+3 x+2 x+2 x+1 x−3 x+2
(a) + (b) + (c) −
4 5 3 4 4 2
x − 2 2x + 4 5x + 3 2x − 2
(d) + (e) +
8 12 10 4
8. Simplify the following algebraic expressions.
5 2 4 3 1 2
(a) + (b) + (c) +
x+1 x+4 x−7 x+2 x−3 x+5
2 3 8 3
(d) − (e) −
x − 3 3x + 4 3x − 2 1 − x

Homework:

1. Write down the reciprocal of these fractions.

3 7a −4xy −8x2 a
(a) (b) (c) (d)
2 3 7t b2 c
2. Simplify by cancelling common factors
35x2 −14x2 y −36ab2 8xy 3
(a) (b) (c) (d)
7x 7xy 4ab −4xy 2
2
−15pq −20s
(e) (f)
30p2 q 2 45s2 t
3. Simplify by cancelling common factors
−2 − 12b 21x − 7 9t − 27 44 − 11x
(a) (b) (c) (d)
−2 −7 −9 −11
2 2
a −a 7a + 14a
(e) (f)
a 21a
4. Simplify the following
x+3 4 y−7 5y 10a2 a+6
(a) × (b) × (c) ×
9 x+3 y y−7 a+6 4a
−8a 7 2m + 4 m
(d) × (e) ×
7 2a m m+2
5. Simplify the following
3 − 6y 1 − 2y 2 3
(a) ÷ (b) ÷
8 2 a − 1 2a − 2
2 10 t−1 1−t
(c) ÷ (d) ÷
10x − 5 2x − 1 9 3
6. Simplify the following
1 2a 3 2 7 3 4 3
(a) − (b) + (c) − (d) −
9 3 4 a 9 a b 4
2 3 3 7
(e) − (f) −
7 2b 2y 9
7. Simplify the following algebraic expressions
x+4 x−3 2x + 1 x − 2
(a) − (b) −
3 9 2 3
3x + 1 2x + 1 3−x x−1
(c) + (d) −
5 10 14 7
8. Simplify the following algebraic expressions
3 2 6 3
(a) − (b) −
x+3 x−4 2x − 1 x − 4
4 2 5 6
(c) + (d) −
x − 5 3x − 4 2x − 1 x + 7

Answer Key

Classwork :
Que no. Answer
1 (a) 12 (b) 6 (c) 14 (d) 2x

a 1 −3x 6b
2 (a) 5x (b) 4x (c) (d) (e) (f)
4 3a y 7

3 (a) x + 2 (b) a − 5 (c) 3x − 9 (d) 1 − 3y (e) x + 2 (f) 3 − 2x

x−1 x+4 −1
4 (a) (b) (c) 15 (d)
2x 5x 2

18 −5 2
5 (a) 3 (b) 3 (c) (d) (e)
5 3 5

14 + 3a 3 + 4a 3 − 15b 6 + 4x −12 − 2x −27 − 2x

6 (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
21 8 10 15 3x 6x

9x + 23 7x + 11 −x − 7 7x + 2 5x − 1
7 (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)
20 12 4 24 5

7x + 22 7x − 13 3x − 1
8 (a) (b) (c)
(x + 1)(x + 4) (x − 7)(x + 2) (x − 3)(x + 5)

3x + 17 14 − 17x
(d) (e)
(x − 3)(3x + 4) (3x − 2)(1 − x)
Homework:
Que no. Answer
2 3 7t b2 c
1 (a) (b) (c) (d)
3 7a −4xy −8x2 a

−1 −4
2 (a) 5x (b) −2x (c) −9b (d) −2y (e) (f)
2p 9st

1 + 2a
3 (a) 1 + 6b (b) 1 − 3x (c) 3 − t (d) x − 4 (e) a − 1 (f)
3

4 5a
4 (a) (b) 5 (c) (d) −4 (e) 2
9 2

3 4 1 −1
5 (a) (b) (c) (d)
4 3 25 3

1 − 6a 3a + 8 7a − 27 16 − 3b 4b − 21 27 − 14y
6 (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
9 4a 9a 4b 14b 18y

2x + 15 4x + 7 8x + 3 5 − 3x
7 (a) (b) (c) (d)
9 6 10 14

x − 18 −21 14x − 26
8 (a) (b) (c)
(x + 3)(x − 4) (2x − 1)(x − 4) (x − 5)(3x − 4)

−7x + 41
(d)
(2x − 1)(x + 7)