document.write( "Question 97207: Rational Expression:\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #70765 by jim_thompson5910(35256) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
$\"4%2F%28a%5E2+-+1%29++%2B++1%2F%282a+%2B+2%29\"$ Start with the given expression\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"4%2F%28a%2B1%29%28a-1%29++%2B++1%2F%282a+%2B+2%29\"$ Factor $\"a%5E2-1\"$ to $\"%28a%2B1%29%28a-1%29\"$ \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"4%2F%28a%2B1%29%28a-1%29++%2B++1%2F2%28a+%2B+1%29\"$ Factor $\"2a%2B2\"$ to $\"2%28a%2B1%29\"$ \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So our LCD is $\"2%28a%2B1%29%28a-1%29\"$ (this is what we want the denominators to get to)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"%282%2F2%29%284%2F%28a%2B1%29%28a-1%29%29++%2B++1%2F2%28a+%2B+1%29\"$ Multiply the first fraction by $\"2%2F2\"$ \r
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Multiply the second fraction by $\"%28a-1%29%2F%28a-1%29\"$ \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"%288%2F2%28a%2B1%29%28a-1%29%29++%2B++%28%28a-1%29%2F2%28a+%2B+1%29%28a-1%29%29\"$ Multiply\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"%288%2Ba-1%29%2F2%28a+%2B+1%29%28a-1%29\"$ Combine the fractions. We can do this since the denominators are the same.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"%287%2Ba%29%2F2%28a+%2B+1%29%28a-1%29\"$ Combine like terms \n" ); document.write( "

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