document.write( "Question 40578: a/2 - 3/a (a divided by 2 minus 3 over a) \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #26200 by astromathman(21) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Simplify: $\"a%2F2-3%2Fa\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "You need a common denominator.
\n" ); document.write( "Ask: \"What does the denominator on the right have, that the denominator on the left lacks?\" (Ans: a)
\n" ); document.write( "Now ask: \"What does the deonminator on the left have, that the denominator on the right lacks?\" (Ans: 2)
\n" ); document.write( "So multiply the left fraction by $\"a%2Fa\"$ and the right fraction by $\"2%2F2\"$ :
\n" ); document.write( "We get $\"%28a%5E2%29%2F%282a%29-6%2F%282a%29\"$ which reduces to $\"%28a%5E2-6%29%2F%282a%29\"$
\n" ); document.write( "-----------------
\n" ); document.write( "A communication from the student tells me he/she meant a different starting expression:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"a%2F%282-3%2Fa%29\"$
\n" ); document.write( "For this the first step is to subtract the fractions in the denominator. Multiply the 2 by $\"a%2Fa\"$ , and subtract so the denominator is now $\"%282a-3%29%2Fa\"$ . Now divide the numerator by the denominator. In other words, invert the fraction in the denominator and multiply by the numerator: $\"%28a%2F1%29%2A%28a%2F%282a-3%29%29=a%5E2%2F%282a-3%29\"$ . This can't be simplified any further. \n" ); document.write( "

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