Show the similarities between dividing two fractions and dividing two rational expressions using examples of e

Question

Show the similarities between dividing two fractions and dividing two rational expressions using examples of each; explain your steps.

Answer 1

Any division can be thought of as invert and multiply.

1/4 divided by 1/3 = 1/4 * 3/1 = 3/4

(a^2 -1) divided by (2a+2) is the same as (a^2-1) * 1/(2a+2) = (a^2-1)/(2a+2) = (a-1)(a+1)/2(a+1) = (a-1)/2

Answer 2

A rational expression is simple a number that can be represented as a fraction, ie. 1.75 = 7/4, and this is because rational numbers have non-repeating decimals (consider the irrational product when 1 is divided by 3...0.3333333333333333).

Once you rewrite two rational expressions into their appropriate fractions, then you 'flip and multiply', ie. take reciprocal of second and multiple.

Example: 1.75/0.25 = 7/4 divided by 1/4; 7/4 *4/1 = 7

Answer 3

By definition a fraction is a rational expression, so it is the same thing.