Rational Expressions - GRE Quantitative Reasoning
Card 1 of 320
Choose the answer which best simplifies the expression below:

Choose the answer which best simplifies the expression below:
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To simplify, multiply each of the terms by the denomenator of the other, over itself:

You will yield terms with a common denomenator, which can be combined:


To simplify, multiply each of the terms by the denomenator of the other, over itself:
You will yield terms with a common denomenator, which can be combined:
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Simplify the following rational expression: (9x - 2)/(x2) MINUS (6x - 8)/(x2)
Simplify the following rational expression: (9x - 2)/(x2) MINUS (6x - 8)/(x2)
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Since both expressions have a common denominator, x2, we can just recopy the denominator and focus on the numerators. We get (9x - 2) - (6x - 8). We must distribute the negative sign over the 6x - 8 expression which gives us 9x - 2 - 6x + 8 ( -2 minus a -8 gives a +6 since a negative and negative make a positive). The numerator is therefore 3x + 6.
Since both expressions have a common denominator, x2, we can just recopy the denominator and focus on the numerators. We get (9x - 2) - (6x - 8). We must distribute the negative sign over the 6x - 8 expression which gives us 9x - 2 - 6x + 8 ( -2 minus a -8 gives a +6 since a negative and negative make a positive). The numerator is therefore 3x + 6.
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Simplify (4x)/(x2 – 4) * (x + 2)/(x2 – 2x)
Simplify (4x)/(x2 – 4) * (x + 2)/(x2 – 2x)
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Factor first. The numerators will not factor, but the first denominator factors to (x – 2)(x + 2) and the second denomintaor factors to x(x – 2). Multiplying fractions does not require common denominators, so now look for common factors to divide out. There is a factor of x and a factor of (x + 2) that both divide out, leaving 4 in the numerator and two factors of (x – 2) in the denominator.
Factor first. The numerators will not factor, but the first denominator factors to (x – 2)(x + 2) and the second denomintaor factors to x(x – 2). Multiplying fractions does not require common denominators, so now look for common factors to divide out. There is a factor of x and a factor of (x + 2) that both divide out, leaving 4 in the numerator and two factors of (x – 2) in the denominator.
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Simplify the following rational expression: (9x - 2)/(x2) MINUS (6x - 8)/(x2)
Simplify the following rational expression: (9x - 2)/(x2) MINUS (6x - 8)/(x2)
Tap to reveal answer
Since both expressions have a common denominator, x2, we can just recopy the denominator and focus on the numerators. We get (9x - 2) - (6x - 8). We must distribute the negative sign over the 6x - 8 expression which gives us 9x - 2 - 6x + 8 ( -2 minus a -8 gives a +6 since a negative and negative make a positive). The numerator is therefore 3x + 6.
Since both expressions have a common denominator, x2, we can just recopy the denominator and focus on the numerators. We get (9x - 2) - (6x - 8). We must distribute the negative sign over the 6x - 8 expression which gives us 9x - 2 - 6x + 8 ( -2 minus a -8 gives a +6 since a negative and negative make a positive). The numerator is therefore 3x + 6.
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Tap to reveal answer
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Simplify (4x)/(x2 – 4) * (x + 2)/(x2 – 2x)
Simplify (4x)/(x2 – 4) * (x + 2)/(x2 – 2x)
Tap to reveal answer
Factor first. The numerators will not factor, but the first denominator factors to (x – 2)(x + 2) and the second denomintaor factors to x(x – 2). Multiplying fractions does not require common denominators, so now look for common factors to divide out. There is a factor of x and a factor of (x + 2) that both divide out, leaving 4 in the numerator and two factors of (x – 2) in the denominator.
Factor first. The numerators will not factor, but the first denominator factors to (x – 2)(x + 2) and the second denomintaor factors to x(x – 2). Multiplying fractions does not require common denominators, so now look for common factors to divide out. There is a factor of x and a factor of (x + 2) that both divide out, leaving 4 in the numerator and two factors of (x – 2) in the denominator.
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Simplify the following rational expression: (9x - 2)/(x2) MINUS (6x - 8)/(x2)
Simplify the following rational expression: (9x - 2)/(x2) MINUS (6x - 8)/(x2)
Tap to reveal answer
Since both expressions have a common denominator, x2, we can just recopy the denominator and focus on the numerators. We get (9x - 2) - (6x - 8). We must distribute the negative sign over the 6x - 8 expression which gives us 9x - 2 - 6x + 8 ( -2 minus a -8 gives a +6 since a negative and negative make a positive). The numerator is therefore 3x + 6.
Since both expressions have a common denominator, x2, we can just recopy the denominator and focus on the numerators. We get (9x - 2) - (6x - 8). We must distribute the negative sign over the 6x - 8 expression which gives us 9x - 2 - 6x + 8 ( -2 minus a -8 gives a +6 since a negative and negative make a positive). The numerator is therefore 3x + 6.
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Simplify (4x)/(x2 – 4) * (x + 2)/(x2 – 2x)
Simplify (4x)/(x2 – 4) * (x + 2)/(x2 – 2x)
Tap to reveal answer
Factor first. The numerators will not factor, but the first denominator factors to (x – 2)(x + 2) and the second denomintaor factors to x(x – 2). Multiplying fractions does not require common denominators, so now look for common factors to divide out. There is a factor of x and a factor of (x + 2) that both divide out, leaving 4 in the numerator and two factors of (x – 2) in the denominator.
Factor first. The numerators will not factor, but the first denominator factors to (x – 2)(x + 2) and the second denomintaor factors to x(x – 2). Multiplying fractions does not require common denominators, so now look for common factors to divide out. There is a factor of x and a factor of (x + 2) that both divide out, leaving 4 in the numerator and two factors of (x – 2) in the denominator.
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Simplify the following rational expression:

Simplify the following rational expression:
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Since both fractions in the expression have a common denominator of
, we can combine like terms into a single numerator over the denominator:



Since both fractions in the expression have a common denominator of , we can combine like terms into a single numerator over the denominator:
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Simplify the following rational expression:

Simplify the following rational expression:
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Since both rational terms in the expression have the common denominator
, combine the numerators and simplify like terms:




Since both rational terms in the expression have the common denominator , combine the numerators and simplify like terms:
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Simplify the following expression:

Simplify the following expression:
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Since both terms in the expression have the common denominator
, combine the fractions and simplify the numerators:



Since both terms in the expression have the common denominator , combine the fractions and simplify the numerators:
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Add and simplify:

Add and simplify:
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When adding rational expressions with common denominators, you simply need to add the like terms in the numerator.
Therefore,
is the best answer.
When adding rational expressions with common denominators, you simply need to add the like terms in the numerator.
Therefore, is the best answer.
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Simplify the following rational expression:

Simplify the following rational expression:
Tap to reveal answer
Since both fractions in the expression have a common denominator of
, we can combine like terms into a single numerator over the denominator:



Since both fractions in the expression have a common denominator of , we can combine like terms into a single numerator over the denominator:
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Simplify the following rational expression:

Simplify the following rational expression:
Tap to reveal answer
Since both rational terms in the expression have the common denominator
, combine the numerators and simplify like terms:




Since both rational terms in the expression have the common denominator , combine the numerators and simplify like terms:
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Simplify the following expression:

Simplify the following expression:
Tap to reveal answer
Since both terms in the expression have the common denominator
, combine the fractions and simplify the numerators:



Since both terms in the expression have the common denominator , combine the fractions and simplify the numerators:
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Add and simplify:

Add and simplify:
Tap to reveal answer
When adding rational expressions with common denominators, you simply need to add the like terms in the numerator.
Therefore,
is the best answer.
When adding rational expressions with common denominators, you simply need to add the like terms in the numerator.
Therefore, is the best answer.
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Simplify the following rational expression:

Simplify the following rational expression:
Tap to reveal answer
Since both fractions in the expression have a common denominator of
, we can combine like terms into a single numerator over the denominator:



Since both fractions in the expression have a common denominator of , we can combine like terms into a single numerator over the denominator:
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Simplify the following rational expression:

Simplify the following rational expression:
Tap to reveal answer
Since both rational terms in the expression have the common denominator
, combine the numerators and simplify like terms:




Since both rational terms in the expression have the common denominator , combine the numerators and simplify like terms:
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