document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=907729>Question 907729</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Perform the operations on the following: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+%28a%2F%28a%5E2%2B3a-4%29%29%2B%284a%2F%28a%5E2%2B7a%2B12%29%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+%28a%2F%28a%5E2%2B3a-4%29%29%2B%284a%2F%28a%5E2%2B7a%2B12%29%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I know that the LCD is (a+4)(a-1)(a+3)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I ended up with an answer of a= 1/5<BR>\n" );
document.write( "My professor wrote \"Not an equation! Can't solve!\"<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So I'm not sure if my work was wrong or if this equation really can't be solved. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #550521 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=KMST><B>KMST(5328)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=KMST><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=KMST><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=550521\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> What your professor probably means is that you tried to solve the equation<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+a%2F%28a%5E2%2B3a-4%29%2B4a%2F%28a%5E2%2B7a%2B12%29+=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+a%2F%28a%5E2%2B3a-4%29%2B4a%2F%28a%5E2%2B7a%2B12%29+=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > ,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "which has <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=1%2F5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=1%2F5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > as one of its solutions ( <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > is another solution).<BR>\n" );
document.write( "while there was no equation to be solved.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Maybe the instructions for the problem just asked for the common denominator.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Maybe the instructions for the problem just asked to simplify the expression<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+a%2F%28a%5E2%2B3a-4%29%2B4a%2F%28a%5E2%2B7a%2B12%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+a%2F%28a%5E2%2B3a-4%29%2B4a%2F%28a%5E2%2B7a%2B12%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > .<BR>\n" );
document.write( "If simplifying was the task, and all work needed to be shown,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "maybe it would have been enough to write:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+a%2F%28a%5E2%2B3a-4%29%2B4a%2F%28a%5E2%2B7a%2B12%29+=++a%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%29%2B4a%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a%2B3%29%29+=++a%28a%2B3%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29%2B4a%28a-1%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29+=+%28a%28a%2B3%29%2B4a%28a-1%29%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29+=+%28a%5E2%2B3a%2B4a%5E2-4a%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29+=+%285a%5E2-a%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > .<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Maybe you were asked to show a fully factored result, and you would have needed to factor the numerator and end with<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%285a-1%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%285a-1%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > .<BR>\n" );
document.write( "You certainly knew how to do all that.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "If you only had to enter the final result as an answer,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "both <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%285a-1%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%285a-1%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%285a%5E2-a%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%285a%5E2-a%29%2F%28%28a%2B4%29%28a-1%29%28a%2B3%29%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > may have been accepted answers. </SPAN>\n" );
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