document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=266169>Question 266169</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> My question is regarding multiplying fractions and canceling out terms.  The problem is (a+b)/2*(10x+2)/b^2-a^2.  I have no idea where to even start because I know that I can't cancel out anything when it's in this form.  Help please!  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #195591 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=195591\">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=%28%28a%2Bb%29%2F%282%29%29%28%2810x%2B2%29%2F%28b%5E2-a%5E2%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28%28a%2Bb%29%2F%282%29%29%28%2810x%2B2%29%2F%28b%5E2-a%5E2%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the given expression.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28%28a%2Bb%29%2F%282%29%29%28%282%285x%2B1%29%29%2F%28b%5E2-a%5E2%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28%28a%2Bb%29%2F%282%29%29%28%282%285x%2B1%29%29%2F%28b%5E2-a%5E2%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Factor <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=10x%2B2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"10x%2B2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2%285x%2B1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2%285x%2B1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28%28a%2Bb%29%2F%282%29%29%28%282%285x%2B1%29%29%2F%28%28b%2Ba%29%28b-a%29%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28%28a%2Bb%29%2F%282%29%29%28%282%285x%2B1%29%29%2F%28%28b%2Ba%29%28b-a%29%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Factor <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2-a%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2-a%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28b%2Ba%29%28b-a%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28b%2Ba%29%28b-a%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%282%28a%2Bb%29%285x%2B1%29%29%2F%282%28b%2Ba%29%28b-a%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%282%28a%2Bb%29%285x%2B1%29%29%2F%282%28b%2Ba%29%28b-a%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine the fractions. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%282%28a%2Bb%29%285x%2B1%29%29%2F%282%28a%2Bb%29%28b-a%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%282%28a%2Bb%29%285x%2B1%29%29%2F%282%28a%2Bb%29%28b-a%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Rewrite <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%2Ba ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%2Ba\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (in the denominator) as <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%2Bb ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%2Bb\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28highlight%282%29highlight%28%28a%2Bb%29%29%285x%2B1%29%29%2F%28highlight%282%29highlight%28%28a%2Bb%29%29%28b-a%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Highlight the common terms. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28cross%282%29cross%28%28a%2Bb%29%29%285x%2B1%29%29%2F%28cross%282%29cross%28%28a%2Bb%29%29%28b-a%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Cancel out the common terms. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%285x%2B1%29%2F%28b-a%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%285x%2B1%29%2F%28b-a%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Simplify. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28%28a%2Bb%29%2F%282%29%29%28%2810x%2B2%29%2F%28b%5E2-a%5E2%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28%28a%2Bb%29%2F%282%29%29%28%2810x%2B2%29%2F%28b%5E2-a%5E2%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > simplifies to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%285x%2B1%29%2F%28b-a%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%285x%2B1%29%2F%28b-a%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "In other words, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28%28a%2Bb%29%2F%282%29%29%28%2810x%2B2%29%2F%28b%5E2-a%5E2%29%29=%285x%2B1%29%2F%28b-a%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28%28a%2Bb%29%2F%282%29%29%28%2810x%2B2%29%2F%28b%5E2-a%5E2%29%29=%285x%2B1%29%2F%28b-a%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > </SPAN>\n" );
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