What is the simplified form of the quantity y−squared minus y minus 12 over the quantity y−squared plus 8y plus 15?
y^2 - y - 12 ---------- y^2 + 8y + 15
y minus 4 over y minus 5 y minus 4 over y plus 5 y plus 4 over y minus 5 y plus 4 over y plus 5 those are the answer choics
factor top and bottom and see if there any common factors
can you factor y^2 - y - 12?
no
i have another question after this
they will look like (y + a)(y + b) where the product AB will = -12 and a + b will equal -1
can you think of 2 numbers whose product is -12?
3 and 4
3nearl right 3 * 4 = 12 but we want -12
-4 and 3
* nearly
ok that might be the ones we want do they add up to -1?
yeah is it the second optiion
we haven't got that far yet we need to factor the denominator next. yes a = 3 and b = -4 so the factors of the top of the fraction are (x + 3)(x - 4) now can you factor the denominator by the same method?
3 and 5
its the second option
right so we have (y + 3)(y - 4) ---------- (y + 3)(y + 5) y + 3 is common
yea second choice is correct
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