SOLUTION: Adding/Subtracting rational expressions y^2/y - 4 - 4/y

SOLUTION: Adding/Subtracting rational expressions y^2/y - 4 - 4/y - 4

Question 173556: Adding/Subtracting rational expressions
y^2/y - 4 - 4/y - 4
Answer by nycsub_teacher(90) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I assume you meant to type this
[y^2/(y - 4)] - [4/(y - 4)]
Treat this like you would a regular fraction.
Notice that the denominator is the same for both fractions.
In that case, we keep the denominator (y - 4) and subtract the numerators.
Doing that, this is what we get:
(y^2 - 4)/(y - 4)
Now, what can we do with the numerator (y^2 - 4)? What does it look like?
We can say that (y^2 - 4) is the difference of two perfect squares and so it can and must be factored.

(y^2 - 4) factors out to be (y - 2) (y + 2)

Final answer:
[(y - 2)(y + 2)]/(y - 4)

RELATED QUESTIONS
Adding ans subtracting unlike rational expressions heres the problem... (answered by Edwin McCravy)

im working on >>>> Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions 7/(x+2)-4/(2... (answered by jim_thompson5910,oberobic)

Adding/Subtracting rational expressions y^3 - 5y/6y - y^3 + y +... (answered by bob123132)

Adding/Subtracting rational expressions 8y - 3/y + 7 - 4y - 1/y +... (answered by solver91311)

i need a little help with adding or subtracting unlike rational expressions... (answered by fractalier)

adding and subtracting rational expressions... (answered by Fombitz)

complex rational expressions: 9/y (answered by stanbon)

Addition and Subtraction of Rational Expressions y^3 - 5y/6y - y^3 + y + 3/6y... (answered by jim_thompson5910)

I need help with simplifying rational expressions Y^2-4 / y-2 49y+98 /... (answered by unlockmath)