document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=26451>Question 26451</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> ok so i thought i understood this radical stuff so i need you to explain things in lamen terms for me, # do not work with my head well.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "first of all i know the definitions of factors and terms but when it comes down to the problem i just cancel ne thing cause i don't know which is which<BR>\n" );
document.write( "so heres one of my questions<BR>\n" );
document.write( "heres how i did it:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "4x-12/x^2 * 7x+21/28\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "so i factored the numerators first and got<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2*2(x-3) * 7(x+3)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "then i factored the demonminators and got<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x-3)(x-3) * 2*2*7\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "so i canceled out 2*2 on the top and the 2*2 on the bottom, then the (x-3)'s on the top and bottom of the first equation. then the (x+3)'s on the top and bottom of the second equation and then both 7's on the second equation top and bottom <BR>\n" );
document.write( "and the answer i got was 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "i didn't know if that was possible to get, maybe i did it right. but its these types of questions that just mess me up. i will prolly be writing for some more help on LCD and stuff like that.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "thanx for you help in advance\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "shanna </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #14294 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=longjonsilver><B>longjonsilver(2297)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=longjonsilver><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=longjonsilver><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=14294\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Shanna,\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The problem that most students who struggle with a topic like algebra is that they do not understand the basic rules and when to apply them. And importantly when you cannot apply certain rules. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "What they end up doing is so much more complicated than the correct method.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Here goes:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28+%284x-12%29%2F%28x%5E2%29+%29+%2A+%28+%287x%2B21%29%2F%2828%29+%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28+%284x-12%29%2F%28x%5E2%29+%29+%2A+%28+%287x%2B21%29%2F%2828%29+%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now, this is a fraction, primarily, just like <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%2F8+%2A+2%2F5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%2F8+%2A+2%2F5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. The beauty of maths is that the rules applied to easier questions are exactly the same as those applied to \"harder\" questions...\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "OK... we can factorise if we WISH to, to give <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28+%284%28x-3%29%29%2F%28x%5E2%29+%29+%2A+%28+%287%28x%2B3%29%29%2F%2828%29+%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28+%284%28x-3%29%29%2F%28x%5E2%29+%29+%2A+%28+%287%28x%2B3%29%29%2F%2828%29+%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, but the question is one of fractions multiplied, so we basically just need to do that multiplication. Before that, I notice that the second fraction has a 7 on the top and a 28 on the bottom...these can be reduced...\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28+%284%28x-3%29%29%2F%28x%5E2%29+%29+%2A+%28+%28x%2B3%29%2F%284%29+%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28+%284%28x-3%29%29%2F%28x%5E2%29+%29+%2A+%28+%28x%2B3%29%2F%284%29+%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Lets combine both fractions then...\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28+%284%28x-3%29%28x%2B3%29%29%2F%284%28x%5E2%29%29+%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28+%284%28x-3%29%28x%2B3%29%29%2F%284%28x%5E2%29%29+%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now, we have a single expression where terms are all held together by multiplication and division, just like (4*3*5)/(4*7) is, as an example. In this simpler expression, we can simplify to give (3*5)/(7) since we had \"multiply by 4\" on the top and then \"divide by 4\"..opposite processes that cancel each other.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So, our question becomes <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28+%28x-3%29%28x%2B3%29%2F%28x%5E2%29+%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28+%28x-3%29%28x%2B3%29%2F%28x%5E2%29+%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "And this is an answer, in factorised form. There is nothing else we can cancel.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "As you can see, i actually did far less work than you did :-)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "jon.<BR>\n" );
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