Question

How to solve a rational equation

Answer 1

depends largely on the equation

Answer 2

Im going to put up a equation

Answer 3

Do you have an example of such an equation?

Answer 4

ok

Answer 5

@Mokeira @satellite73

Answer 6

\[\frac{1}{x^4-2x}=\frac{x+5}{x}-2\]?

Answer 7

ick

Answer 8

i would start with
\[\frac{1}{x^4-2x}=\frac{-x+5}{x}\] then cross multiply and hope for the best

Answer 9

Cross multiply...let me show you how

Answer 10

Okay @Mokeira and then ill do it to mine and you can tell me if its correct?

Answer 11

Follow what @satellite73 has done and you should get a simplified version of \[x=[(x+5)(x ^{4}-2x)]-[(2x)(x ^{4}-2x)]\]

Answer 12

yea! Lets compare answers

Answer 13

you are going to get a fourth degree polynomial
how you are going to solve that is anyone’s guess

Answer 14

wait, I don't know how to cross multiply

Answer 15

i have a feeling there is a typo in the problem
this is not really doable without wolfram of something
can't really do it with algebra

Answer 16

Well I did make the problem up so it could make like no sense

Answer 17

@_angeliquexoxo please check the problem again and make sure you wrote it exactly right
if you did i have no idea how you are supposed to solve it
the solutions are complicated

Answer 18

@satellite73 the -2 is a whole number it is not a part of the fraction

Answer 19

oh
then nvm forget it

Answer 20

I made it up so that you guys can show me how to do it so then I can do my problem on my own and see if I did it correct @satellite73

Answer 21

a goodgoal, but not very practical in this case
why don't you post the actual problem
it is probably cooked up to be doable

Answer 22

There are many ways to it. You could cross multiply or remove the denominators so that you remain with like a one-stringed equation to simplify

Answer 23

if you had
\[\frac{3}{x+1}=\frac{x+2}{x}\] you would have a chance
you could write \[3x=(x+2)(x+1)\] and solve that quadratic

Answer 24

True

Answer 25

but the x on the bottom in my problem has a ^2 and its - 5x

Answer 26

The ^2 just means you square

Answer 27

You can just post your problem then we work it out together step by step