Intermediate Algebra (6th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321785045
ISBN 13: 978-0-32178-504-6

Chapter 6 - Section 6.3 - Simplifying Complex Fractions - Exercise Set - Page 361: 20

Answer

$\dfrac{4(a-3)}{-3(a+6)}$

Work Step by Step

The given expression, $ \dfrac{\dfrac{5}{a+2}-\dfrac{1}{a-2}}{\dfrac{3}{2+a}+\dfrac{6}{2-a}} ,$ simplifies to \begin{array}{l}\require{cancel} \dfrac{\dfrac{5}{a+2}-\dfrac{1}{a-2}}{\dfrac{3}{a+2}-\dfrac{6}{a-2}} \\\\= \dfrac{\dfrac{(a-2)(5)-(a+2)(1)}{(a+2)(a-2)}}{\dfrac{(a-2)(3)-(a+2)(6)}{(a+2)(a-2)}} \\\\= \dfrac{\dfrac{(a-2)(5)-(a+2)(1)}{\cancel{(a+2)(a-2)}}}{\dfrac{(a-2)(3)-(a+2)(6)}{\cancel{(a+2)(a-2)}}} \\\\= \dfrac{(a-2)(5)-(a+2)(1)}{(a-2)(3)-(a+2)(6)} \\\\= \dfrac{5a-10-a-2}{3a-6-6a-12} \\\\= \dfrac{4a-12}{-3a-18} \\\\= \dfrac{4(a-3)}{-3(a+6)} .\end{array}
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