MEDAL for help in Algebra 1!

Simplify the following...

Question

MEDAL for help in Algebra 1! 

Simplify the following...

calculusxy · Answer

$$\large \frac{x+8}{27x^3 - 9x^2} - 3$$

sweetburger · Answer

first step is getting the terms to have a common denominator

calculusxy · Answer

The common denominator is 27x^3 - 9x^2

amilapsn · Answer

yep

calculusxy · Answer

So should I factor it?

sweetburger · Answer

no not yet

calculusxy · Answer

Ok.

sweetburger · Answer

your going to be expanding so might as well not factor it

calculusxy · Answer

So the first fraction you leave the numerator as it is. 
Second fraction, 3(27x^3 -9x^2) = 81x^3 - 27x^2

sweetburger · Answer

yep looks good. dont forget the negative sign though

calculusxy · Answer

oh yes so then it would be -81x^3 + 27x^2

sweetburger · Answer

yep and now you can combine the numerator over the single denominator

calculusxy · Answer

$\huge \frac{x + 8 -81x^2 + 27x^2 }{27x^3 - 9x^2}$

sweetburger · Answer

looks good except the term -81x^2 i think should be -81x^3

calculusxy · Answer

Oh yes. But don't I need to factor the denominator? It doesn't look too simplified

calculusxy · Answer

@sweetburger @agent0smith @ganeshie8 @KamiBug

sweetburger · Answer

if you factor the denominator what are you going to do with it? Unless you determine that you could possibly factor the numerator and cancel something out?