document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=285968>Question 285968</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I am still very confused on how to simplify rational expressions: This is the problem I am working on\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "    x-4<BR>\n" );
document.write( " ----------<BR>\n" );
document.write( " x^2-3x-4 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #207359 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=richwmiller><B>richwmiller(17219)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=richwmiller><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=richwmiller><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=207359\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The best way to write this for us is <BR>\n" );
document.write( "   (x-4)/(x^2-3x-4) <BR>\n" );
document.write( "This way clarifies for us exactly what is the numerator and what is the denominator<BR>\n" );
document.write( "To make it look nice surround it by 3 { and 3}<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x-4%29%2F%28x%5E2-3x-4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x-4%29%2F%28x%5E2-3x-4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "My guess just looking at it would be that x-4 might be a factor of (x^2-3x-4) <BR>\n" );
document.write( "so we are looking for factors of -4 which add up to -3,<BR>\n" );
document.write( " -4 and 1 work<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x-4)*(x+1)=   (x^2-3x-4) <BR>\n" );
document.write( "   (x-4)/(x^2-3x-4) =<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x-4)/x-4)*(x+1)=<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1/x+1<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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