680 Chapter 7 Rational Expressions and Functions

7.3 EXERCISES
Practice Makes Perfect
Simplify a Complex Rational Expression by Writing it as Division
In the following exercises, simplify each complex rational expression by writing it as division.
2a 3b 5
a+4 152. b−5 2
151. 153. c + 5c − 14
4a 2 b2 10
a 2 − 16 b 2 − 25 c+7

8 1 + 56 1+3
d 2 + 9d + 18 155. 2 156. 2 4
154. 3+ 7
12 2
3
+ 79 5 10
d+6

2 − 19 1 − 16 n +1
157. 3 158. 2 159. m n
1− n
3
4
+ 56 2
3
+ 34 n m

1 p 1
p + q r + 1t 2
v + w2
160. q 161. 162.
1 1 1 1 − 12
p − q −
r2 t2 v2 w

x− 2x 2y 2 − a +2 3
x+3 y−y−4
163. 164. 165.
1 + 1
x+3 x−3
2 + 2 1
a+3
+ a2
y−4 y+4

4 + b −4 5
166.
1
b−5
+ b4

Simplify a Complex Rational Expression by Using the LCD

In the following exercises, simplify each complex rational expression by using the LCD.
1+1 1+1 5+2
167. 3 8 168. 4 9 169. 6 9
1+ 1 1+ 1 7 −1
4 12 6 12 18 3

1+ 4 c + d1 1 +m
170. 6 15 171. d 172. m n
n 1
m−n
3−1 1 − dc
5 2 d

1 + 1q 2 + 2t 2
p r x+5
173. 174. 175.
1 1 1 − 1 3 1
− +
p2 q2 r2 t2 x−5 x 2 − 25

5 5 + z +3 8 3 + 5
y−4 z 2 − 64 178. s+6 s−6
176. 177. 1 4
3 + 2 1 + 2 +
y+4 y 2 − 16 z+8 z−8 s 2 − 36 s+6

4 5 5 − c +3 7
2 2 − 6b − 27
179. a − 2a − 15 180. b 181. c + 2
1 + 2 3 + 1 5c
a−5 a+3 b−9 b+3 c 2 + 9c + 14

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Chapter 7 Rational Expressions and Functions 681

6 1 n
− d +2 7 2+ p−3 n−2
182. d − 4 183. 184.
2d 5 3 + n −5 2
d 2 + 3d − 28 p−3

m
m+5 7 + q −2 2
185. 186.
4 + m 1− 5 1
q+2

In the following exercises, simplify each complex rational expression using either method.
3−2 v +1 2
187. 4 7 188. w v
189. a+4
1+ 5 1− v 1
2 14 v w
a 2 − 16

3 3 + 3n 2
2 − 3b − 40 191. m r−9
b 1 192.
190.
5 − 2 − 12 1 + 3
b+5 b−8 m2 n r+9 r 2 − 81

3x y
x−
x+2 y+3
193. 194.
3 + 3
x+2 x−2 2 + y −1 3

Writing Exercises
195. In this section, you learned to simplify the complex 196. Efraim wants to start simplifying the complex
3 1+1
a b by cancelling the variables from the
fraction x + x
2 two ways: rewriting it as a division fraction
1−1
2
x −4 a b
problem or multiplying the numerator and 1 + 1
a b
denominator by the LCD. Which method do you prefer? numerator and denominator,
1 1
. Explain what is
Why? a −
b
wrong with Efraim’s plan.

Self Check

ⓐ After completing the exercises, use this checklist to evaluate your mastery of the objectives of this section.

ⓑ After looking at the checklist, do you think you are well-prepared for the next section? Why or why not?