Question

Can somebody please help me figure out how to simplify radical expressions like this:

(n+2)/(2n+4)

I don't want the answer. I want to know how to solve it.

Answer 1

The method for multiplying polynomial equations like this one will FOIL.
Foil stands for: First, Outer, Inner, Last

First you multiply the first values of the two polynomials: n*2n = 2n^2
Then you multiply the outer values: 4*n = 4n
Then the inner values: 2*2n = 4n
Then the last values: 2*4 = 8

And finally, you add them all together: 2n^2 + 4n + 4n + 8 or 2n^2 +8n + 8

I hope you will understand this explanation, but just in case, this website explains the method pretty well:
http://www.algebrahelp.com/lessons/simplifying/foilmethod/

Answer 2

But that isn't quite what i meant I accidentally put multiply instead of simplify the equation looks like this

\[\frac{ n+2 }{ 2n+4 }\]

Answer 3

Factor out the ZGCF in the denominator.

Answer 4

GCF

Answer 5

Oh. In that case you just try to simplify both the top and bottom as much as possible and then cancel out variables.
\[\frac{ n +2 }{ 2(n+2)? }\] and you can cancel out the n+2 on from the numerator and denominator to get 1/2.

Answer 6

Thank you!

Answer 7

Gee, you're welcome.

Answer 8

One more question wouldyou solve this the same way?

\[\frac{ 15x ^{^{2}}+21x }{ 12x ^{3} }\]

Answer 9

Yes - just do as much simplifying as possible.
Like Noel said, you are looking for the greatest common factor.

The numerator can be factored into 3x(5x+7)
And this 3x, is the greatest common factor between the numerator and the denominator.
Therefore, you can cancel it out from both of them to get the simplified answer.
= \[\frac{ 5x + 7 }{ 4x ^{2} }\]

Answer 10

Thank you

Answer 11

One more question I promise this is the last one. How do you do this one:

\[\frac{ a ^{3} +3a-28}{a ^{2}-49 }\]