You didn't put in any parentheses and so therefore according to the PEMDAS rules what you typed means this:But I don't believe you meant that. It would be good if you learn to type algebraic expressions using the PEMDAS rules: I am guessing that you meant this: Factor whatever will factor: Cancel the on top into one of those on the bottom: Cancel the in the top into the on the bottom, leaving just on the bottom All that's left is and we can write simpler as Edwin