Question

express in simplest form: x power of 2 + 7x + 12 divided by x - 5 times 2x - 10 divided by x + 3

Answer 1

is that 'x to the power of two' -> \[x^{2}\] or the xth power of two -> \[2^{x}\]?

Answer 2

the first one you typed

Answer 3

Okay, I can't figure out how to clearly type the equation so lets work on the numerator. Factoring, such that you have an (x+a)*(x+b)...do you know what that is?

Answer 4

for this factorization, you should have (a+b)=7 and (a*b)=12.

Answer 5

I am doing a worksheet and the answer the teacher gave was 2(x+4) but I don't know how to get it.

Answer 6

take it one step at a time. How do you factor the numerator?

Answer 7

I am very weak at algebra and have missed a lot of school because of illnesses and I don't know what I'm doing I don't know how to factor the numerator.

Answer 8

I mentioned it above. do you know how to expand an equation like this:
(x+a)*(x+b)?

Answer 9

that is, do you know how to do the multiplication?

Answer 10

Do I do it like this: xx + 7x + 12 divided by x -5 and to the other do 2x - 10 divided by x + 3?

Answer 11

The FOIL method stands for First, Outside, Inside, Last; this is the order in which you multiply the numbers. Which means
First: x*x = x^2
Outside: x*b
Inside: x*a
Last: a*b

so, going backwards, from your numerator (the top part of your fraction, x^2+7x+12), you need an a and a b such that a+b=7 and a*b=12

Answer 12

so your numerator factors to (x+3)*(x+4). Please be sure you understand why; that is fundamental to these kinds of problems.

Answer 13

Then you can factor out/cancel out the (x+3)

Answer 14

Next, note that 2x-10=2(x-5)

Answer 15

is any of this making sense?

Answer 16

No I'm completely lost. I was talking to a person earlier about a problem on the same worksheet.The problem was x to power of three divided by 2y to the power of two times 6y to the power of four divided by xy. She had me do xxx divided by 2 times yy and on the other side do 2 times 3 times yyyy divided by x times y then she had me cancel out the x's and the y's then multiply across to get 3x to the power of two y.

Answer 17

Okay. I'm trying to think of how to do this. Do you understand the distribution property that I was describing earlier? That is, do you know how to multiplysomething like this:

(x+5)*(x+1)

If so, tell me what it is.

Answer 18

if not, do you understand how to multiply something like this:

3*(x+2)

If so tell me what it is.

Answer 19

3x +6

Answer 20

Okay. You don't know how to do the first one? That's okay, I just want to understand where you are.

(x+5)*(x+1)