Write it as a division problem:
÷
Invert what we are dividing by, called the "divisor",
and change the division to multiplication, use as
askerisk " * " for multiplication rather than an " x "
so we won't get it mixed up with the x's used for
variables:
*
Let's just work on the part in the red rectangle below, and
just bring the rest down until we finish that part:
*
The LCD in that part is
, so we multiply the first
fraction by
and the second fraction by
*
In each term, indicate the multiplication of the
numerators and denominators by writing them as one
fraction:
*
Next we multiply out the numerators
(but not the denominators):
*
Now we combine the numerators over the LCD:
*
Now we can factor out a
in the numerator:
*
That's all we can do with that part, so let's
put a red rectangle around the other part:
*
We can factor the numerator:
*
Next we indicate the multiplication of the numerators
and denominators:
We can cancel the
's
We can cancel the
's
We can cancel the
's
and we are left with just the number
.
All that work just to get 2!
Edwin