document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=178160>Question 178160</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> 44)   x/(x^2 – 2x – 3)  -  3x/(x^2 – 9)   ......please i'm desperate and can you please show the steps, so i can see how u got the answer.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Perform the operations or solve if it is an equation (= sign)\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #133113 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=133113\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2F%28x%5E2-2x-3%29-3x%2F%28x%5E2-9%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2F%28x%5E2-2x-3%29-3x%2F%28x%5E2-9%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the given expression\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x-3%29%29-3x%2F%28x%5E2-9%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x-3%29%29-3x%2F%28x%5E2-9%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Factor the first denominator\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x-3%29%29-3x%2F%28%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x-3%29%29-3x%2F%28%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Factor the second denominator\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Take note that the LCD is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (the LCD is comprised of the unique factors of both denominators). So the goal is to get EVERY denominator equal to the LCD\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2Ahighlight%28%28x%2B3%29%29%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%2Ahighlight%28%28x%2B3%29%29%28x-3%29%29-3x%2F%28%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Multiply both the numerator and denominator of the first fraction by <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get the denominator equal to the LCD\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5E2%2B3x%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29-3x%2F%28%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%5E2%2B3x%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29-3x%2F%28%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Distribute\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5E2%2B3x%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29-%283x%2Ahighlight%28%28x%2B1%29%29%29%2F%28highlight%28%28x%2B1%29%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Multiply both the numerator and denominator of the second fraction by <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get the denominator equal to the LCD\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5E2%2B3x%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29-%283x%5E2%2B3x%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Distribute\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Now that EVERY denominator is equal to the LCD, we can subtract the fractions:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5E2%2B3x-%283x%5E2%2B3x%29%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%5E2%2B3x-%283x%5E2%2B3x%29%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine the fractions by subtracting the numerators over the common denominator.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5E2%2B3x-3x%5E2-3x%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%5E2%2B3x-3x%5E2-3x%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Distribute\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28-2x%5E2%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28-2x%5E2%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine like terms.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28-2x%5E2%29%2F%28x%5E3%2Bx%5E2-9x-9%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28-2x%5E2%29%2F%28x%5E3%2Bx%5E2-9x-9%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Multiply the terms out in the denominator (this step is optional)\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "====================================================\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Answer:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "So \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2F%28x%5E2-2x-3%29-3x%2F%28x%5E2-9%29=%28-2x%5E2%29%2F%28%28x%2B1%29%28x%2B3%29%28x-3%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > where <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%3C%3E-3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%3C%3E-3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%3C%3E-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%3C%3E-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%3C%3E0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%3C%3E0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Or..\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2F%28x%5E2-2x-3%29-3x%2F%28x%5E2-9%29=%28-2x%5E2%29%2F%28x%5E3%2Bx%5E2-9x-9%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2F%28x%5E2-2x-3%29-3x%2F%28x%5E2-9%29=%28-2x%5E2%29%2F%28x%5E3%2Bx%5E2-9x-9%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > where <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%3C%3E-3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%3C%3E-3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%3C%3E-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%3C%3E-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%3C%3E0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%3C%3E0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Note: both answers are the same, but the second one is if you decided to expand the denominator </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );