Math help......help me simplify this expression into a single fraction?

Question

I need to obtain a single fraction, here is the expression:

(2x / x^2 - 6x +9) - (1 / x + 1) - (8 / 2^(2) - 2x -3)

I dont need the answer, but how to start this problem. Thank You.

Answer 1

start by using PARENTHESIS:
2x / (x^2 - 6x +9) - 1 / (x + 1) - 8 / (x^(2) - 2x -3) = 2X / ( x-3)^2 - 1/(x+1) -8/(x+3)(x-1)
common denominator is (x-3)^2 (x+1) ( x+3) (x-1) so your fraction is
= [2x( x+1) (x+3)(x -1) - (x-3)^2 (x+3) (x-1) - 8 ( x-3)^2 (x+1) ] / (x-3)^2 (x+1) ( x+3) (x-1)

Answer 2

You start the same as any fraction problem, look for the LCD. You have denominators of (x-3)^2, (x+1) and (2x-1), so your LCD will be
(x-3)^2*(x-1)*(2x-1). BTW, the (2x-1) term refers to the third fraction. You can switch the sign on the total fraction to positive which allows you to switch signs in the denominator.

Answer 3

Ok, I'll simplify it for you.

[ (2x+9x^2-6x^3)/x^2 ] - [ (1+x)/x ] - (-1-2x)