ok guys i am having problems with rational numbers and it says simplify 7x+9/7x+3
I am thinking the answer is 7x+3/7x+1 is this correct?

Question

ok guys i am having problems with rational numbers and  it says simplify 7x+9/7x+3
I am thinking the answer is 7x+3/7x+1 is this correct?

mathteacher1729 · Answer

$$\huge \frac{7x+9}{7x+3}$$ is simplified.  There's nothing more to do here.

anonymous · Answer

No, that answer is not right. You can simplify at best as:
(7x+3+6)/(7x+3) = 1 + 6/(7x+3). I not sure if this is more simplified than original.

anonymous · Answer

0 great

anonymous · Answer

i guess i just dont get it

anonymous · Answer

(7x+9)/(7x+3) can't be simplified like the way you did. You can't simply divide 9 by 3. You have to treat (7x+9) as a single expression and similarly (7x+3).

mathteacher1729 · Answer

GT -- you make a good point.  I should have been clearer in saying that you cannot just "cancel the 7s" or "cancel the 9/3 to 3/1") because those are not like terms in this rational expression.  Thank you for the clarification.

anonymous · Answer

If the problem was (21x+9)/(7x+3), then you can factor 3 from the numerator and get 3*(7x+3)/(7x+3) = 3.