document.write( "Question 175054This question is from textbook algebra structure and method
\n" ); document.write( ": can you please help me solve: \"%28a%5E2-2ab%2Bb%5E2%29%2F%28a%2Bb%29\" \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #130158 by Edwin McCravy(20056)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
can you please help me solve: \"%28a%5E2-2ab%2Bb%5E2%29%2F%28a%2Bb%29\"
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document.write( "That is not an equation or an inequality, so it can't be\r\n" );
document.write( "\"solved\".  It is an expression, and expressions cannot be\r\n" );
document.write( "said to be \"solved\" but only \"simplified\" or \"rewritten\".\r\n" );
document.write( "Only equations and equalities can be said to be \"solved\".     \r\n" );
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document.write( "To try to simplify it, we first try factoring the top:\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"%28a%5E2-2ab%2Bb%5E2%29%2F%28a%2Bb%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"%28%28a-b%29%28a-b%29%29%2F%28a%2Bb%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "or\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"%28a-b%29%5E2%2F%28a%2Bb%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "But nothing cancels because we have - between a and b on\r\n" );
document.write( "top and + between a and b on the bottom.  Are you sure you\r\n" );
document.write( "typed all the signs right?\r\n" );
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document.write( "As you have it, it may be divided out by long division:\r\n" );
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document.write( "              a -  3b \r\n" );
document.write( "      ----------------\r\n" );
document.write( "a + b )a2 - 2ab +  b2\r\n" );
document.write( "       a2 +  ab\r\n" );
document.write( "       --------\r\n" );
document.write( "           -3ab +  b2\r\n" );
document.write( "           -3ab - 3b2\r\n" );
document.write( "           ----------\r\n" );
document.write( "                  4b2\r\n" );
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document.write( "Then the expression may be rewritten as \"a+-+3b+%2B+%284b%5E2%29%2F%28a%2Bb%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "Or, you could rearrange the terms in descending order\r\n" );
document.write( "of b instead of a, and get:\r\n" );
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document.write( "              b -  3a \r\n" );
document.write( "      ----------------\r\n" );
document.write( "b + a )b2 - 2ab +  a2\r\n" );
document.write( "       b2 +  ba\r\n" );
document.write( "       --------\r\n" );
document.write( "           -3ba +  a2\r\n" );
document.write( "           -3ba - 3a2\r\n" );
document.write( "           ----------\r\n" );
document.write( "                  4a2\r\n" );
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document.write( "Then the expression can also be rewritten as \"b+-+3a+%2B+%284a%5E2%29%2F%28b%2Ba%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "So you can rewrite, not \"solve\", \r\n" );
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document.write( "\"%28a%5E2-2ab%2Bb%5E2%29%2F%28a%2Bb%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "as either\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"%28a-b%29%5E2%2F%28a%2Bb%29\", \"a+-+3b+%2B+%284b%5E2%29%2F%28a%2Bb%29\", or \"b+-+3a+%2B+%284a%5E2%29%2F%28b%2Ba%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "but expressions can only be simplified or rewritten.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Only equations and inequalities can be solved. \r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin
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