15 3  5 3  

  
20 4  5 4  

2ab 2ab b
 
4ac 2 4ac 2c
In an algebraic fraction, you can only cancel things
which are connected by MULTIPLICATION signs

7b  a
For example, in there are 4 terms –
6a
the 7b , the top a, the 6 and the bottom a. The ONLY
signs between any of these anywhere are the × signs.
So, if there are two things the same in top and bottom,
we can cancel them. So cancel the a’s.
7b
Ans
6
7b  a 7b  a 7b  a
However, in or or
6a 6a 6a
the presence of any + or – signs prevents the
possibility of cancelling and so these three
expressions would have to remain unsimplified.
Now put yourself to the test. Which of these can be
simplified? You may need to insert × signs

3bc 3b c c
 No + or – anywhere
6b 6b 2

3b  5c 3  b  5  c 5b
 No + or – anywhere
6 c 6c 2

2a  1 Impossible due to + & – connecting terms

a 3 in top & bottom
7a  5 Impossible due to + connecting terms in top
5a
7a  5 7 a 5
7 No + or – anywhere
5a 5a

a (a  5) Note the + does not connect the main

a  (a  5)
terms. It is part of the term (a + 5) and
5a 5a so can be ignored!
(a  5)
 a  5 Can’t cancel the 5s because of
5 
5 the + which now connects terms!
Multiplying Algebraic Fractions..........

• Factorise numerator & denominator first

• Cancelling allowed (but one term being cancelled has
to be in the top and the other in the bottom).

Dividing Algebraic Fractions..........

• Invert second fraction before you do

anything!

• Then proceed as you would

for a multiplication!
x2  4 x2  2x

3x  6 3

x2  4 3
  2 Inverting the 2nd fraction
3x  6 x  2 x

( x  2)( x  2) 3
  Factorising
3( x  2) x( x  2)

( x  2)( x  2) 3
  Cancelling
3( x  2) x( x  2)

1

x
 On first glance it looks like this can’t
3ab  7a be done because of the minus.
4a 2 However if we factorise the numerator

a(3b  7)
 This now has a multiplication
4a 2
connecting the terms in the numerator
a  (3b  7) and so an a can be cancelled

4a 2

3b  7
 As you get more confident with these,
4a you can go straight from the first
expression to the answer by cancelling
an a from all 3 terms, avoiding the
need to factorise
• Cannot do this unless the
denominators are the same

• Once the denominators are

the same, then add only the
numerators.
x 3x  2
 As this sum is a + , we can’t do it
5 4 until the denominators are the
4x 5(3x  2) same. Choose 20
 
20 20 Top & bottom of first
4 x  5(3 x  2) fraction are multiplied by 4

20 Top & bottom of second
4 x  15 x  10 fraction are multiplied by 5

20
Bright idea!
19 x  10 At the start, always

20 bracket any numerator
that has 2 or more
terms!
3  2x x  5 As this sum is a “ – “ , we can’t do
 it until the denominators are the
2 3
same. Choose 6
3(3  2 x) 2( x  5)
 
6 6
3(3  2 x)  2( x  5)

6
9  6 x  2 x  10

6
19  8 x
 Note the sign
6 change!
2 7a
 Common denominator is xy.
x y Multiply top and bottom of 1st fraction
by y
2y 7ax

xy xy
Multiply top and bottom of 2nd fraction
by x
2 y  7ax

xy
 2 5
 Common denom (x + 1)(x – 3)
x 1 x  3
Mult top & bottom of 1st fraction by (x – 3)
Mult top & bottom of 2nd fraction by (x + 1)

2( x  3) 5( x  1)

( x  1)( x  3) ( x  1)( x  3) Now both denoms are
the same so we can do
2( x  3)  5( x  1) the subtraction

( x  1)( x  3)
Note the change of
2 x  6  5x  5
 sign on the 5 in the top
( x  1)( x  3)

 3x  11

( x  1)( x  3)
 2 5
 These denominators look different but in
x 3 3 x fact they are negatives of each other

e.g. 3 – 7 is the negative of 7 – 3

2 5 The strategy here is to reverse the

 
x3 x3 denominator and change the sign in
front. Both denoms are now the same

25

x3

3

x3
5 3x  1 Since x divides into x2, choose x2 as the
 2 common denominator.
x x

Mult. Top & bottom of first fraction by x.

Leave 2nd fraction as is.
5x (3x  1)
 2

x x2 Now both denoms are
the same so we can do
the subtraction
5 x  (3x  1)

x2
5 x  3x  1

x2
2x  1

x2
 x 3

( x  3) 2 x  3 Since (x + 3) divides into (x + 3)2 choose
(x + 3)2 as the common denominator.
Mult. Top & bottom of 2nd fraction by (x + 3)
Leave 1st fraction as is.
x 3( x  3)
 
( x  3) 2
( x  3)2 Now both denoms are
the same so we can do
the addition
x  3( x  3)

( x  3)2
x  3x  9

( x  3) 2
4x  9

( x  3) 2
Changing signs within fractions.....

p
tw

p changing the sign in front of all

=
t  w terms
p rewriting the bottom putting the
=
wt positive (w) in front of the – t

You’re allowed to take the

p single minus from the top and
= 
wt put it out the front of the whole
fraction
Rewrite these in an alternative form....

a a 12  6 6  12
 
bc cb 85 58
Both equal 2
p p p
 
tw wt wt 95 59
 
2Both equal2 – 2
x x x
  
yz yz zy

t p p t

bc cb
 x4 2
 Realising (x – 3) and (3 – x) are
( x  3) 3  x
2
negatives of each other,
reverse the 2nd denom and
x4 2 change the sign
 
( x  3) 2
x 3
To bring 2nd denom into
x4 2( x  3)
  line with 1st we mult top &
( x  3) 2
( x  3) 2 bottom by (x – 3)
x  4  2( x  3)

( x  3) 2
x  4  2x  6

( x  3) 2

2 x

( x  3) 2
 2x x x 1
 2  2 Quite complex!!
x  9 x  4x  3 x  2x  3
2

Factorise denoms to find common factors

2x x (x  1)
  
(x  3)(x  3) (x  3)(x  1) (x  3)(x  1)
LCD will be (x – 3)(x + 3)(x + 1)
2x (x  1) x (x  3) (x  1)(x  3)
  
(x  3)(x  3)(x  1) (x  3)(x  3)(x  1) (x  3)(x  3)(x  1)

2x (x  1)  x (x  3)  (x  1)(x  3)

(x  3)(x  3)(x  1)
Expand & collect terms in the top
2x 2  2x  x 2  3x  x 2  2x  3

(x  3)(x  3)(x  1)
2x 2  7x  3

(x  3)(x  3)(x  1)
Problem Solver Questions +
Worked Solutions
Solve….
1 2
x 1
a. a. 4(2 ) 
x
2 2x
 64 3

b. y 3
2 4
x
 16
b.
27  9
x 2y
 243

7 2x 3x  5
c. c.    3.5
x  4 x  2 2x  4
2
 1 2
4(2 )  x1 22 x  64
x 3

Rewrite all numbers as powers of 2

 
1 2x 2
22  2  2 x x 1
 2 6 3 Need to ADD powers on LHS
1 2x 1 2x
2 
22  2  2 x x 1
 24 x x 1

1 2x
2 
2 x x 1
2 4

And as both sides are of the form

2POWER we can equate the powers….
1 2x
2  4 1
x x 1
Multiply all four terms by LCD x(x – 1) x
2 x( x  1)  ( x  1)  2 x 2  4 x( x  1)
3
Expand & clean up (x2 terms will cancel!)

3x  1 Back to
questions
2 x  4 y 3  16 Equate powers
27 x  92 y  243
NOTE Powers of 2 in first eqn and
x – 2y = 10……(1)
powers of 3 in the second. Rewrite. 3x + 4y = 5…….(2)
2  2
x
  2 y 3
2 4 2  (1) + (2) to eliminate y

3   3 
5x = 25
3 x 2 2y
 35 So x = 5
Expand brackets
From (1)
2 y 6
2 2x
2 4
5 – 2y = 10
33 x  34 y  35 y= –2½
Add/subtract powers

2 x  2 y 6
2 4 Ans
x = 5 and
33 x  4 y  35
Back to y=–2½
questions
x = 4.383 or – 1.217

Back to
questions