I need to discover steps to solve this expression:
(3x+12)/(x+4)

Question

anonymous · Answer

What do you mean solve? There is nothing to solve here. e.g. no = sign.

anonymous · Answer

He probably means to "SIMPLIFY".

myininaya · Answer

simplified or divide is better:
3(x+4)/(x+4)

myininaya · Answer

simplify*
it is not only better to say
it is accurate to say in this case

anonymous · Answer

You don't need to discover anything, someone already did. Just take 3 as a common factor of the numerator, and then (x+4) will be cancelled from the top and bottom as:
$${3x+12 \over x+4}={3(x+4) \over x+4}$$

anonymous · Answer

=3

myininaya · Answer

this expression =3 as long as x does not equal -4

anonymous · Answer

Not really. It's always 3, for any value of x (including -4).

myininaya · Answer

no what happens if you plug in -4 into the original expression

anonymous · Answer

It wouldn't affect the value. Try graphing the function. It's nothing but a horizontal line at y=3.

myininaya · Answer

its good to point stuff out like this early because when start talking about continuity in calculus they are going to find out f(-4) DNE but the limit has x approaches -4 exist which is 3 in this case 
i never had a calculator to graph holes