Question

HELP SIMPLIFYING?!!!!!!

Answer 1

Simplify the quantity x plus 6 over 12, all over the quantity x minus 8 over 10

Answer 2

\[\frac{ \frac{ x+6 }{ 12 } }{ \frac{ x-8 }{ 10 } }\]

Answer 3

numerator/denominator = numerator * (1/denominator)

Answer 4

\[\frac{ x+6 }{ 12 }\times \frac{ 10 }{ x-8 }\]

Answer 5

Yea, I was confused by this, because I tried dividing the numbers by 2, but that just gave a weird answer that isn't one of my options..I need help with the steps, plz.

Answer 6

There's your next step.

Answer 7

like 10x + 6?

Answer 8

No, here, let me show you: use cross products. In cross products, when a/b = c/d, ad = bc.

Answer 9

Can you apply that to the equation you see above?

Answer 10

ok, so like 10 x 12 is one of them?

Answer 11

Yes, good! Now do that with x+6 and x - 8.

Answer 12

So, you get (x + 6)(x - 8) = 10 * 12.

Answer 13

Yay, would that be x^2 - 48?

Answer 14

Then, multiply that: x^2 - 2x -48 = 120.

Answer 15

Now, subtract 120 from each side. x^2 - 2x - 168 = 0. Try factoring the left side of that equation.

Answer 16

What factors of -168 add up to -2?

Answer 17

Wait sorry, that whole thing was wrong. You should multiply the bottom and top to get (10x+60)/(12x-96)

Answer 18

Then simplify out a common factor, that could be 2. Then, you have (5x + 30)/(6x + 48).

Answer 19

I'm sorry, my computer wasn't working right before.

Is that the simplified form, or do we have to keep simplifying the 30 and 48?

Answer 20

No, when you simplify the top and bottom, you have to simplify them by the same factor, and that cannot be done any more, because 5 and 6 cannot cancel out anymore, even if 30 and 48 can.