Express (x + 4)/(2x^2 + 3x + 1) - 2/(2x + 1)

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Hi.

Could someone please help me with the following question? I would really appreciate it as I am really stuck.

Express (x + 4)/(2x^2 + 3x + 1) - 2/(2x + 1) as a single fraction in its simplest form.

I got that [(x + 4)(2x + 1) - 2(2x^2 + 3x + 1)]/(2x^2 + 3x + 1)(2x + 1)

= (-2x^2 + 3x + 2)/(x^2 + 3x + 1)(2x + 1) but I am not sure where to go from here.

Thank you.

Cathy
 
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Wouldn't it make more sense to use the LEAST common denominator? Since x2+ 3x+ 1= (2x+1)(x+1) that IS a common denominator. You don't need to use the "2x+1" terrm twice. You have
\frac{x+4}{x^2+ 3x+ 1}- \frac{2(x+1)}{x^2+ 3x+ 1}
That should be much simpler.

(In your last formula, you have dropped the "2" in "2x2+ 3x+ 1".)
 
Thanks so much for your help.

I understand now.

Cathy
 
Hi.

Could someone please help me with the following question?

f(x) = 3 - x^2, x>= 0.

(b) Sketch the graphs of y = f(x) and y = f^-1(x) on the same diagram.


I got that the inverse function of f is (3 - x)^(1/2) but I do cannot figure out how to draw it in comparison to f(x). Could someone please show me.

g(x) = 8/(3 - x), x cannot = 3.

(e) Solve the equation f^-1(x) = g(x).


I have no idea how to even start this last part.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you.

Cathy
 
(e).
So, you have:

\sqrt{3-x}=\frac{8}{(3-x)}\to\sqrt{3-x}=\frac{8}{(\sqrt{3-x})^{2}}

Does that help?
 
Thanks for your help.

I have the answer now.

Cathy
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
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