document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=26578>Question 26578</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> This seems like a simple problem... however, I'm trying to learn the core reason on how and why this problem works. (I got the answer from the back of my math book, but I want to understand it.)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "b-a^(-1) / a-b^(-1)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thanks. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #14492 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=14492\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> you do not say whether your powers apply to all the terms or just the second in each pair?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%29%5E%28-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%29%5E%28-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > is 1/(x)^2\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "so, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28b-a%29%5E-1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28b-a%29%5E-1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > is 1/(b-a)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Similarly <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a-b%29%5E-1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a-b%29%5E-1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > is 1/(a-b)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "so <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28b-a%29%5E%28-1%29%2F%28a-b%29%5E%28-1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28b-a%29%5E%28-1%29%2F%28a-b%29%5E%28-1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > becomes <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%281%2F%28b-a%29%29%2F%281%2F%28a-b%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%281%2F%28b-a%29%29%2F%281%2F%28a-b%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > which is <BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a-b%29%2F%28b-a%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a-b%29%2F%28b-a%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "jon.\r<BR>\n" );
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