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#1 2013-07-08 08:57:54

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Simplify the following:

Simplify the following.

1/x-3 - 3(x-1)/ x^2-9

I have worked out this,  but my final answer was different from what is at the back of the book.
The book has given the final answer as:
-2/x-3

The book did not provide the procedures,  just the answer, please help.

Thanks in advance.

down

Last edited by EbenezerSon (2013-07-08 08:58:29)


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#2 2013-07-08 09:30:57

anonimnystefy
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From: Harlan's World
Registered: 2011-05-23
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Re: Simplify the following:

Hi EbenezerSon


“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

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#3 2013-07-09 06:33:00

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

Thanks, anonimnystefy.
But one thing left, I tried to use the SYMBOLS,  I mean the mathematical symbols as you have used above nicely to solve the problem, but I couldn't locate where they were. Could you please assist me to find them and use them each time I want to post? The moderator, provided the link in my previous post,  but  I couldn't use them in this particular post.

Thanks. ;-)

Last edited by EbenezerSon (2013-07-09 06:33:37)


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#4 2013-07-09 06:56:51

bobbym
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From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: Simplify the following:

Hi;

Did you go to codecogs?


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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#5 2013-07-10 06:54:40

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

No sir, I cannot even locate where they are!


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#6 2013-07-10 07:05:23

Bob
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Registered: 2010-06-20
Posts: 10,011

Re: Simplify the following:

hi EbenezerSon

The Latex editor is here:

http://latex.codecogs.com/editor.php

You can also type in what you want directly like this:

gives this:

and if you click on someone else's Latex you can see how they constructed it.

Bob


Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob smile

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#7 2013-07-10 07:09:21

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

Please I need an assistance here:

Factorise the following expressions completely,

(1) (2m + 2k)^2 - (m - 2k)^2.

(2) ( x + 3)^2 - (x-7)^2.

(3) 9p^2 - (q^2 - 6qr + 9r^2).

(4) 4a^2 - 12ab - c^2 + 9b^2.


In each case the answer has been provided, but the procedures wasn't shown.

Thanks in advance.


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#8 2013-07-10 07:16:12

Bob
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Registered: 2010-06-20
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Re: Simplify the following:

hi Ebenezerson

I think you'll need to multiply these brackets out like this

Then you can start to simplify.

Can you fill in the dots ?

Alternative way to do this:

difference of two squares:

Have you met this before ?

If so, you could put p = 2m + 2k    and q = m - 2k

Bob


Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob smile

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#9 2013-07-10 07:23:23

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

Yes, with the difference of two square I have met that before.
But with respect to the first problem, my final answer  was inconsistent with that of the book. But I I would try here.


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#10 2013-07-10 07:36:43

Bob
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Posts: 10,011

Re: Simplify the following:

Shall I show you how I would do it?

It looks to me like you should do all the others using the difference of two squares.

But for (3) and (4), you'll have to work out what the two squares are.

Bob


Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob smile

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#11 2013-07-10 07:39:31

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

(2m + 3k)^2 - (m - 2k)^2

= (2m + 3k)(2m + 3k) - (m - 2k)(m - 2k)

= 4m^2 + 6km + 6km + 9k^2 - m^2 - 2km - 2km + 4k^2
=3m^2 + 8km  + 13k^2.
That is it! How correct I am?

Thanks.

Last edited by EbenezerSon (2013-07-10 07:58:36)


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#12 2013-07-10 07:44:46

Bob
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Re: Simplify the following:

= 4m^2 + 6mk + 6mk + 9k^2 - m^2 - 2km - 2km + 4k^2

There is a sign error here.  The -2km terms must be subtracted so they become +

Bob


Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob smile

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#13 2013-07-10 07:51:45

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

I see it the following:

Difference of two square: (p^2 - q^2) > I suppose it must be something like that in other to be called  difference of two square, but  I think something like (2m + 3k)^2 should be opened before manipulation, as I have done above.
Something like (q - p)^2 I think is not a difference of two squares. The book's final answer to the first question is (3m+ k)(m +5k). That really confuses me.


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#14 2013-07-10 07:59:14

Bob
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Posts: 10,011

Re: Simplify the following:

Stay on-line and I'll show you both methods.  It will take a few minutes to type up.

Bob


Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob smile

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#15 2013-07-10 08:01:48

EbenezerSon
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Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

bob bundy wrote:

= 4m^2 + 6mk + 6mk + 9k^2 - m^2 - 2km - 2km + 4k^2

There is a sign error here.  The -2km terms must be subtracted so they become +

Bob

Please I am not grasping what you mean could you demonstrate? Or you mean:

6km + 6km - 2km - 2km = 12km - 4km = 8km


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#16 2013-07-10 08:06:57

Bob
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Re: Simplify the following:

OR by difference of two squares:

let p = 2m + 3k    and q = m - 2k

I think the second way is quicker but either is OK

Bob


Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob smile

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#17 2013-07-10 08:07:36

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

Err sir I have understood you well!  with (1) and (2). :-)


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#18 2013-07-10 08:10:53

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

But please help me solve the  third and the fourth ones.


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#19 2013-07-10 08:18:58

Bob
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Re: Simplify the following:

At first, I did not spot that this is the difference of two squares.  But then I noticed that (q^2 - 6qr + 9r^2) is a perfect square:

So try this:

put P = 3p and Q = (q - 3r)  and use

Bob


Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob smile

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#20 2013-07-10 08:27:21

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

= (3p)^2 - (q- 3r)^2
= (3p - q - 3r)(3p +q - 3r).

Is that correct?


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#21 2013-07-10 08:28:46

Bob
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Registered: 2010-06-20
Posts: 10,011

Re: Simplify the following:

That is so close to correct .... there is one - sign that should be a +

See if you can find it.

Bob


Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob smile

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#22 2013-07-10 08:38:46

EbenezerSon
Member
Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

Candidly speaking sir, I cant tell or explain why that negative sign should appear there, to be frank!

Whenever I am dealing with such complicated difference of two squares,  positive and negative signs eludes me just in the end.

Last edited by EbenezerSon (2013-07-10 08:40:55)


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#23 2013-07-10 08:42:52

EbenezerSon
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Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

Please an assistance, please and why it should appear.


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#24 2013-07-10 08:43:06

Bob
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Registered: 2010-06-20
Posts: 10,011

Re: Simplify the following:

put P = 3p and Q = (q - 3r)  and use

so P+Q = 3p +(q-3r)

and P - Q = 3p - (q-3r)

When you remove the brackets the q becomes minus and the -3r becomes +

So can you see what the answer should be ?

Bob


Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob smile

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#25 2013-07-10 08:50:26

EbenezerSon
Member
Registered: 2013-07-04
Posts: 554

Re: Simplify the following:

Okay  sir! but could you explain with an illustration, how you got the (q - 3r)^2 ?

In #19.

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by EbenezerSon (2013-07-10 09:28:22)


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