Question

4 plus the fraction 2 which is over x+1

Answer 1

What is the goal of the problem?

Answer 2

addition of rational expressions :/

Answer 3

okay, so I would multiply the 4 by (x+1)/(x+1) and the fraction by (4/4) then add the two together.

Answer 4

ok so what i got then was 4x+12 over 4x+1

Answer 5

remember your distributive property.
is 4(x+1) = 4x + 1?

Answer 6

oh shoot! so 4x+4 not 1

Answer 7

exactly, also, can we reduce this new fraction any further?

Answer 8

can't you eliminate the 4x's and you're left with 12/4 which will equal 3?

Answer 9

we cannot actually do this, due to the rules of fractions.

for example, say we had:
(4 + 10) / (4 + 6)

doing simple math we can simply this to:
14/10

and if we try to do what you are saying:
( 0 + 10 ) / ( 0 + 6 ) (crossing off the "4"s)

we get
10/6

14/10 is not equal to 10/6 and thus this is not a valid math rule :/
If I were you, though, I would try to factor out any constants, if possible.

Answer 10

Aw shoot :/ I am just not a math wiz at all :( so the lowest we can get the problem then would have to be just 4x+12/4x+4 ?

Answer 11

I do see one common constant between the numerator and the denominator, perhaps we could factor that out and cancel?

Answer 12

hmmm 4x+12 / 4x+4 = x+3