<PRE><B>Question 59160</B>
# 52. 3x^2+8x+4 over 3x^2-4x-4 
You need to be able to factor these in order to 
simplify the fraction.
Numerator factoring goes as follows:
3x^2+8x+4
=3x^2+6x+2x+4
=3x(x+2)+2(x+2)
=(x+2)(3x+2)
-------------------
Denominator factoring goes as follows:
3x^2-4x-4
=3x^2-6x+2x-4
=3x(x-2)+2(x-2)
=(x-2)(3x+2)
---------------------------
If you write the factored form of the numerator 
over the factored form of the denominator you 
see there is a common factor of (3x+2); these
cancel and you are let with the following:
(x+2)/(x-2)
---------
That is the simplified form of the original
fraction.
------------------------------------------------
Chapter 7.3
# 41. 3 over k^2+5k with a comma between
2 over k^2+3k-10 

(k^2+5k)/(k^2+3k-10)
Factor where you can to get:
=[k(k+5)]/[(k+5)(k-2)
=k/(k-2)
Cheers,
Stan H.
</PRE>