Solve: x/(x^2-3x+2) - 3/(x^2-1^2)?

Question

This is one fraction minus another fraction to solve for "x"

Answer 1

Break the equation into two parts and factor the denominators.

First part
a) x/(x^-3x+2) = x/[(x-2)(x-1)]

b) 3/(x^2 - 1) = 3/[(x+1)(x-1)]

Notice that the one term is the same in both denominators and that one term is different. You need to have all three terms common to both denominators.

So, multiply part a) by (x+1)/(x+1), and multiply part b) by (x-2)/x-2)

The result is as follows:


c) x/(x^-3x+2)* (x+1)/(x+1)= x(x+1)/[(x-2)(x-1)(x+1)]

d) 3/(x^2 - 1)*(x-2)/(x-2) = 3(x-2)/[(x+1)(x-1)(x-2)]


Now, put it all together

[x(x-1) - 3(x-2)] / [(x+1)(x-1)(x-2)]


There ya go.. you can multiply it out and simplify..

Answer 2

Get a common denominator.

To do this, factor each denominator:
the first one is (x-1)(x-2)
the second one is (x-1)(x+1).

So, the common denominator is (x-1)(x+1)(x-2).

To put everything over a common denominator, multiply the numerator and denominator of each fraction by the "missing" factors. That is, multiply the first one by (x+1)/(x+1), and the second one by (x-2)/(x-2).

You get [(x+1)x - 3(x-2)] / [(x+1)(x-1)(x-2)].

Now simplify the numerator. You get:
x^2+x-3x+6
or
x^2-2x+6.

Unfortunately, this equation has no real roots, as can be seen by applying the quadratic formula.

Answer 3

OMFG! That looks like a code to work out next week's lottery numbers!

Answer 4

x/(x^2-3x+2) - 3/(x^2-1^2)
=x/(x-2)(x-1) - 3/(x-1)(x-1)
=x(x+1)-3(x-2) / (x-2)(x-1)(x-1)............SmallestCommonFactor
=x-3/x-1

Answer 5

In my calculator i got SYNTAX Error

Answer 6

Nice try. You know i don't speak math!

Answer 7

you can't just ask us the answer , and hope we'll do your homework... dude, i 'll give you a clue.. "factor " that's all i can say.

Answer 8

yeah right.... i'm all about the math.