LET’S LEARN

ALGEBRA
IN EARL’S WAY…THE
EASY WAY!
“To love Math is to embrace understanding.
To use Math is to embrace life and its complexities”.
ELMOR F. LEONOR
Educator For Life
(Q1,W2) L3:SOLVING
RATIONAL
EQUATIONS
At the end of the lesson you
should be able to:
1.solve rational equations.
 RATIONAL EQUATIONS
A rational equation is an equation that contains
rational expressions.

THERE ARE TWO BASIC

TECHNIQUES YOU CAN CHOOSE
FROM TO SOLVE
RATIONAL EQUATIONS.
Method 1:Cross multiply

Method 2:Multiply by the least

common denominator (LCD)
LEAST COMMON DENOMINATOR

1. Find the LCD

2. Multiply each term by the

LCD.

3. Simplify each term.

4. Now solve the polynomial using

whichever method is easiest.
Solve:
5 = y
Cross Multiply
y + 2 3

5(3) = y(y + 2) Use the distributive

property.
15 = y2 + 2y
0 = y2 + 2y – 15 Write in standard form.

0 = (y + 5)(y – 3) Factor
y = -5, 3 Solve
 METHOD 2
2m  3 m 6
 
Solve, and check the solution. 5 3 5
Write the original equation.

15 15 Multiply each term by the LCD 15.

3 +5 Use distributive property.

6m  9  5m  18 Simplify each side.
m  9  9  18  9 Add 9 from each side.
m  9

Check: 2m  3 m 6
 
5 3 5 3(-21)+5(9)=3(-6)

 2  9   3  9   6 63  45  18
15       15 18  18
 5 3  5
METHOD 2
2 2x
1 
Solve, and check the solution. x 1 x 1
Write the original equation.

+1 Use distributive property.

Combine like terms.
Simplify.
1  x
Since −1 causes the denominator to equal 0, the
solution set is Ø.
 METHOD 2

Solve: 6 + x = 4 Find the LCD.

x 2
2x

2x ∙ 6 + 2x∙x = 2x∙4 Multiply each term by

the LCD.
x 2

12 + x2 = 8x Simplify
x2 – 8x + 12 = 0 Write in standard form
(x – 6)(x – 2) = 0 Factor

x = 6,x =2 Solve for x.

 EXAMPLE 3 6 1 4
  2
5a  10 a  5 a  3a  10
Solution
:
 6 1   4 
5  a  2   a  5        5  a  2   a  5
 5  a  2   a  5    a  2   a  5 

a  40  40  20  40
a  60
The solution set is {60}.
 METHOD 2
8r 3 3
 
Solve, and check the proposed solution.
4r  1 2 r  1 2 r  1
2

Solution:
 8r   3 3 
 2r  1  2r  1        2r  1  2r  1
  2r  1  2r  1   2r  1 2r  1 
8r  6r  3  6r  3

8r  12r  12r  12r

4r  0
r 0
Since 0 does not make any denominators equal 0, the
solution set is { 0 }.
 2 2x
METHOD 2 1 
x 1 x 1
Solution:
 2  2x
 x  1 1    x  1
 x 1 x 1

 x  1  2  x  2 x  x
1  x Extraneous Solution
Since −1 causes the denominator to equal 0,
the solution set is Ø.
 METHOD 2
2 3
Solution:  2
p 2p p  p
2

 2   3 
p  p  2  p  1      p  p  2   p  1
 p  p  2    p  p  1 

2p  2  2p  3p  6  2p
2  6  p  6  6 p4
The solution set is {4}.
 2m  3 m 6
METHOD 2  
5 3 5

Solution:
 2m  3 m   6 
15       15
 5 3   5

6m  9  5m  18

m  9  9  18  9

m  9
 8r 3 3
METHOD 2  
4r  1 2 r  1 2 r  1
2

Solution:
 8r   3 3 
 2r  1  2r  1        2r  1  2r  1
  2r  1  2r  1   2r  1 2r  1 

8r  6 r  3  6 r  3

8r  12r  12r  12r

4r  0 r 0
Since 0 does not make any denominators equal 0, the
solution set is {0}.
 1 1 2
METHOD 2  
x  2 5 5  x2  4
Solution:
 1 1  2 
5  x  2   x  2        5  x  2   x  2 
  x  2 5   5  x  2  x  2 

x2  5x  4  0
 x  1  x  4   0
x 11  0 1 or x44  04
x  1 x  4
The solution set is {−4, −1}.
 METHOD 2 6 1 4
  2
5a  10 a  5 a  3a  10
Solution:
 6 1   4 
5  a  2   a  5        5  a  2   a  5 
 5  a  2   a  5    a  2   a  5 

a-40=20
a  40  40  20  40
a  60

The solution set is {60}.

 3 x  1. 1
Example: Solve: 
x 1 x 1
2

Since x2 – 1 = (x – 1)(x + 1), LCD = (x – 1)(x + 1).’

 3 x  1  1 
 x 2  1  ( x  1)( x  1)   x  1 ( x  1)( x  1)
   
3x + 1 = x – 1

2x = – 2  x = – 1

Since – 1 makes both denominators zero, the rational equation

has no solutions.
 x 6
Example: Solve:  2 .
x  3 x  8 x  15
x2 – 8x + 15 = (x – 3)(x – 5) Factor. The LCD is (x – 3)(x – 5).
x 6
 2 Original Equation.
x  3 x  8 x  15
 x   6 
 x  3 ( x  3)( x  5)   x 2  8 x  15  ( x  3)( x  5)
   
x(x – 5) = – 6 Polynomial Equation.
x2 – 5x + 6 = 0 Simplify.
(x – 2)(x – 3) = 0 Factor.
Check. x = 2 is a solution.
x = 2 or x = 3
Check. x = 3 is not a solution since
both sides would be undefined.
 GUIDED PRACTICE

2x 1 2
Solve   2
x  1 x  3 x  4 x  3   x  1  x  3
First, factor the last denominator…
The LCD!!!

 2x 1   2 
 x  1  x  3      x  1  x  3  2 
 x 1 x  3   x  4x  3 
2 x  x  3   x  1  2
2 x  5x  3  0
2
 GUIDED PRACTICE

2x 1 2
Solve   2
x 1 x  3 x  4x  3
Factor!!! 2 x  5x  3  0
2

 2 x  1  x  3  0
Confirm Numerically
1
x x3 Support Graphically
2
Extraneous Solution
 x 3 3 6
Solve   2 0 LCD: x  x  2
x x  2 x  2x
Clear the fractions:  x  3  x  2   3 x  6  0
x  x  6  3x  6  0
2

x  2x  0
2

x  x  2  0
x  0, 2
 Practice Problems

x3 2 6
Solve   2
x x  3 x  3x
Clear fractions:  x  3   2 x  6
2

x  4x  3  0
2

 x  1  x  3  0
x  1, 3 Extraneous
Solve 3x 5 15
  2
x 1 x  2 x  x  2
Clear fractions: 3 x  x  2   5  x  1  15

3 x  x  10  0
2

 3x  5  x  2   0
5
x   ,2 Extraneous
3