SOLUTION: workbook problem i got very partial credit on... please explain/show how to solve... (4a+1/a^2-4)

SOLUTION: workbook problem i got very partial credit on... please explain/show how to solve... (4a+1/a^2-4) - (3a-a+7/a^2-4)

Question 128056: workbook problem i got very partial credit on... please explain/show how to solve...
(4a+1/a^2-4) - (3a-a+7/a^2-4)
Answer by crzyy321(5) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Multiply a and 4
Multiply a and 1

The a just gets copied along.
The answer is a
a
4*a evaluates to 4a

Multiply the exponent of a by 2giving a^2
The answer is a^2
a^2 evaluates to a^2
To divide 1 by a^2

The a^2 just gets copied along in the denominator.
The answer is a^--2
1/a^2 evaluates to a^-2
4*a+1/a^2 evaluates to 4a+a^-2
The answer is 4a+a^-2-4
4*a+1/a^2-4 evaluates to 4a+a^-2-4
Multiply a and 3
Multiply a and 1

The a just gets copied along.
The answer is a
a
3*a evaluates to 3a
3*a-a evaluates to 2a

Multiply the exponent of a by 2giving a^2
The answer is a^2
a^2 evaluates to a^2
To divide 1 by a^2

The a^2 just gets copied along in the denominater

The answer is a^-2
7/a^2 evaluates to 7a^-2
3*a-a+7/a^2 evaluates to 2a+7a^-2
The answer is 2a+7a^-2-4
3*a-a+7/a^2-4 evaluates to 2a+7a^-2-4
To subtract the polynomials and we try to subtract terms in one polynomialwith any like terms in the other polynomial.
Be very careful with the "-" sign in front 2a+7a^-2-4 it is to be used on all terms in it.
4a - 2a = 2a
a^-2_7a^-2=-6a^-2
-4 - -4 = 0
The answer is 2a-6a^-2
(4*a+1/a^2-4)-(3*a-a+7/a^2-4) evaluates to 2a-6a^-2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The final answer is 2a-6a^-2

RELATED QUESTIONS
i was doing my worksheet and this problem i got very very partial credit on, i started... (answered by edjones)

(x/x+1) - (2/x-1) - 1 please explain/show this to me... i tried doing it and again,... (answered by edjones)

can someone please show me how to solve this step by step? I need to simplify this.... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

I have been working on this problem for quite a wile but I cant seem to figure it out... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

3)can you show me the steps on how to simplify 1.a+(3a-2b)-(4a-3b) 2.4x-(6x-2y)+(2x-7y) (answered by rfer)

Please help me solve this equation: {{{(3a-5)/(a^2+4a+3)+(2a+2)/(a+3)=(a-3)/(a+1)}}}... (answered by Greenfinch)

Question: 4- a-b/a+4 = a^2-6/a+4 Here's what I've got so far. LCM is a+4 (a+4)(4- (answered by stanbon)

12a�-4a-16. I got this far 4(3a�-a-4) and I know that the answer is 4(3a-4)(a+1) but not (answered by Edwin McCravy)

Can someone help me! I keep getting two different answers to this problem... (answered by jim_thompson5910,Greenfinch,JimboP1977)