SOLUTION: How do you multiply and divide rational expressions?

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Question 176666This question is from textbook McDougal Littell Algebra 2
: How do you multiply and divide rational expressions? This question is from textbook McDougal Littell Algebra 2

Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
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Just like any other fractions.

%28a%2Fb%29%28c%2Fd%29+=+ac%2Fbd regardless of whether a, b, c, and/or d are numbers or polynomial expressions. Of course, the ac%2Fbd result may need to be reduced to lowest terms.

Likewise %28a%2Fb%29%2F%28c%2Fd%29+=+%28a%2Fb%29%28d%2Fc%29=+ad%2Fbc. Again, the ad%2Fbc result may need to be reduced to lowest terms.

Lastly, you must exclude values of a variable that would cause any denominator to equal zero. For example:

%28x%5E2+%2B+8x+-+17%29%2F%28x+-+2%29 is undefined for x+=+2