Question

Simplify!

Answer 1

\[\frac {12x^{5}}{20x^{2}}\]

Answer 2

..help?

Answer 3

can you simplify just the numbers? the 12/20 part?

Answer 4

I don't know how..

Answer 5

3x^3/5

Answer 6

divide them by 4..3/5 is the answer..

Answer 7

I want to know how to do this.

Answer 8

can you find the factors of 12? like 3*4 for example
for 20, 4*5
so the numbers part is
\[ \frac{3\cdot 4}{4\cdot 5} \]
the 4's "cancel" (that means 4/4 =1)
you get 3/5

Answer 9

but the thing is. how would i know how to do that?

Answer 10

the x's are actually not too hard, if you remember this rule:

if dividing x's to different powers, subtract the powers.

Answer 11

\[(12/20) \div4=3/5\]

Answer 12

but the thing is. how would i know how to do that?

for 12/20 notice that both are even. so you divide both by 2.
6/10
they are still even, divide by 2 again
3/5

Answer 13

but what aout the powers?

Answer 14

there a simple tricks to know if a number is divisible by another:
a number is even 2
sum of digits divisible by 3 then the number is divisible by 3
both of the above, then divisible by 6
ends in 0 or 5, divisible by 5

Answer 15

powers are easier. subtract when dividing. add when multiplying

here is how to remember:
x^2 means x*x
x^3 means x*x*x
multiply: x^2 * x^3 = x*x * x*x*x count the x's It is x^5 (the sum of 2 and 3)

Answer 16

hm...

Answer 17

So, on my problem, we'd subtract?

Answer 18

for
\[ \frac{x^5}{x^2} = \frac{x*x*x*x*x}{x*x}\]
we can cancel 2 of the x's from the top and bottom to get
\[ \frac{x^5}{x^2} = \frac{x*x*x*\cancel{x}*\cancel{x}}{\cancel{x}*\cancel{x}}= x*x*x \]
and x*x*x is written as \(x^3 \) because people don't like writing out all those x's

Answer 19

notice that the rule is just a fast way to get to the answer 5-2= 3

Answer 20

so my answer would ACTUALLY be \[\frac {3}{5}x^{3}\]

Answer 21

yes.

Answer 22

Could you help with another?

Answer 23

sure