Math 0362

Unit 2
Chapter 7 - Rationals

Updated: summer 2015

7.1 Rational Functions and Expressions

Objectives:

Find the domain of a rational expression using zero factor theorem

Simplify rational expressions
Write equivalent forms of rational expressions

Rational Expression:
The domain of a function is the set of all real numbers except those values that make the
denominator zero. The answer is written in the form:

5x2 3
f ( x)
x 1

x x is a real number and x 0

f ( x)

x 1
(,1) (1, )
Interval Notation

7x 2
7x 2

x 7 x 6 ( x 6)( x 1)
2

x 6, 1
(, 6) (6, 1) (1, )
Interval Notation

Domain:

Domain:

Find the domain of a rational expression, write in INTERVAL NOTATION:

1) f ( x)

8 x3 7 x 2 20
2

2) g ( x)

5x2 3
x 1

3)

f ( x)

7x 2
x 2 2 x 15

Simplifying Rational Expressions:

Step one:
Completely factor the numerator and denominator of the rational expression
Step two:
Divide out factors common to the numerator and denominator.

2 x2
4)

10 x3 2 x 2

9 x 2 13x 4
5)

8x2 x 7

2 y2 2 y

7*) 3
y 5 y2 y 5

36 x 2

8*)
x6

0362 Unit 2 Ch 7

Professor K McCollum

18 2 x 2
6*) 2

x 2x 3

pg. 2

7.2 Multiply & Divide Rational Expressions

Objectives: Multiply and Divide rational expressions

Multiplying Rational Expression:

Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:

Completely factor the numerator and denominator

Write as a multiplication problem
Simplify by dividing out common factors
Keep answer in factored form

7 x 2 3 y 5
*

5 y 14 x 2

3*

3x 3 2 x 2 x 3
*

5x 5x2
4x2 9

x2 x
6
*

3x
5x 5

Dividing Rational Expressions:

Multiply by the RECIPROCAL -

x4 x4 x4
3
*

=
5
3
5
x4

Follow the rules for multiplication of rational expressions

6 x 2 3x 2 x

x2 1
x 1

x 3 5 x 15

x 2 9 x 3 2

0362 Unit 2 Ch 7

Professor K McCollum

2 x 2 11x 5 4 x 2

5 x 25
10

pg. 3

7.3 Adding & Subtracting Rational Expressions

Objectives:
Add and Subtract Rational Expressions with a common denominator
Find the Least Common Denominator (LCD) of a list of rational expressions
Write equivalent expressions
Adding or Subtracting Rational Expressions with Common Denominators:
Add or subtract the numerators and place the sum or difference over the common denominator

9
3
93
12

x2 x2 x2 x2

3x 10 x 2 3 x 10 x 2 3x 10 x 2 7 x 2
7x 2

or x 1
x 1
x 1
x 1
x 1
x 1

1)

2y
7

2y 7 2y 7

2*)

3x 2 2 x 10 x 5

x 1
x 1

3)

4p 3 3p 8

2p 7 2p 7

4)

2 x 1 3x 6

x3
x3

0362 Unit 2 Ch 7

Professor K McCollum

pg. 4

Finding the Least Common Denominator:

Step 1:
Factor each denominator completely
Step 2:
The LCD is the product of all unique factors found in step 1, each raised to a power equal to
the greatest number of times that the factor appears in any one factored denominator

4 11
,
9 y 15 y 3

LCD: _______________________________

7
5x2
,
x2 x2

LCD: _______________________________

t 10
t 5
,
t 2 t 6 t 2 3t 2

LCD: _______________________________

Rewrite each rational expression as an equivalent expression

8)

9 y 45 y 3

9)

x 2 ( x 2)( x 2)

10)

5x2

x 2 ( x 2)( x 2)

11)

t 10

(t 3)(t 2) (t 3)(t 2)(t 1)

12)

t 5

(t 2)(t 1) (t 3)(t 2)(t 1)

0362 Unit 2 Ch 7

Professor K McCollum

pg. 5

7.4 Adding & Subtracting Rational Expressions with Unlike Denominators

Objectives:
Find the Least Common Denominator (LCD) of a list of rational expressions & write equivalent expressions
Add and Subtract Rational Expressions with unlike denominators
Adding & Subtracting Rational Expressions with Unlike Denominators
Step 1 Find the LCD of the rational expressions
Step 2 Rewrite each rational expression as an equivalent expression from step 1
Step 3 Add or Subtract the numerators, write this over the LCD
Step 4 Simplify

a 2a

4 8

5*

2x
x
2

x 2x 1 x 1

3
7

2
10 x 25 x

6*

5
6
x2

12 x
6

x 25 x 5

x 2 x 6

x
4x

3
2x

2x x 6x 3

8*

x4
x 1
2

x 12 x 20 x 8 x 20

0362 Unit 2 Ch 7

Professor K McCollum

pg. 6

7.5 Solving Equations with Rational Expressions

Objectives:
Solve equations containing rational expressions
Solve equations with rational expressions for a specified variable

Solving Equations Containing Rational Expressions:

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

Eliminate the Denominator: Multiply both sides of the equation by the LCD of all
rational expressions in the equation
Solve the resulting equation
Check the solution in the original equation (hint: look at the domain)

1)

x 8 1

2 3 6

2)

3)

4x
2
1

x 2 x 30 x 5 x 6

4*)

2x
8

1
x4 x4

x
5*)

6
x8
x

14
7x

1
x2 x2

6*)

y
2 y 16 2 y 3

2y 2 4y 4
y 1

7)

x 1 x 2 11x x 3

x 3 x2 x 6 x 2
0362 Unit 2 Ch 7

Professor K McCollum

pg. 7

7.6 Proportion and Problem Solving with Rational Equations

Objective:
Solve Proportions using cross products
Use Proportions to solve problems
Cross Multiply to solve proportions
45 5
1

x 7

The quotient of a number and 6, minus

x 5 x 2

3
5

5
is the quotient of the number and 2. Find the number.
3

Finding Work Rates: (Set up a chart!)

4
Sam can complete a job in 3 hours. Frank needs 7 hours to complete the same job. How long will it
take for Sam and Frank to complete the same job working together?

5
Sue can paint the house in 4 days. Jon can paint the same house in 6 days. How long would it take
for them to paint the house together?

Problems with Distance: Remember that Distance = Rate * Time (Set up a chart!)
Strategy:
Make a chart for your information and formula
Set up as a proportion
Cross Multiply & Solve
6
A jogger begins her workout by jogging to the park, a distance of 7 miles. She then jogs home at the
same speed, but along a different route. This return trip is 12 miles, and her time is one hour longer. Find
her jogging speed.
7
A cyclist rode the first 33 mile portion of his workout at a constant speed. For the 21 mile cool down
portion of his workout, he reduced his speed by 4 miles per hour. Each portion of the workout took the
same time. Find the cyclists speed during the first portion and find his speed during the cool down.

0362 Unit 2 Ch 7

Professor K McCollum

pg. 8

7.7 Simplifying Complex Fractions

Objectives:
Simplify complex fractions by simplifying the numerator and denominator and then divide
Simplify complex fractions by using LCD
S

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

Method 1
Step 1
Step 2

x
27 y 2

6 x2
9

Method 2
Step 1
Step 2

5
x2
10
x2

Simplify the numerator and denominator into single rational expressions

Invert / Multiply / Simplify

x 1

y2 y

y 1

x2 x

Write as a single fraction divided by single fraction

Invert the second fraction and multiply
Simplify

1
x
1
4x
x
2

Multiply the numerator & denominator of the complex fraction by the LCD of
all fractions in both the numerator & denominator
Simplify

4
5

5 x x 5
2
3

x x 5

0362 Unit 2 Ch 7

2
4

x5 x3
3x 13
2
x 8 x 15

Professor K McCollum

pg. 9