1. Feb 5, 2012

### sabanation12

How would I go about simplifying this:

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

Thanks!

2. Feb 5, 2012

### gsal

Sorry, we don't do somebody else's work just like that...we help. You need to show a bit of effort, so what you have done and tried and we may indicate what it is you are doing wrong, etc.

3. Feb 5, 2012

### sabanation12

Im working with Asymptotes. I am currently in 8th grade algebra so I have no idea how to simplify that. Like ZIP.

I know what to do once I have figured that out though, I would need to find if that simplified function has a verticle, horizontal, or oblique asymptote.

4. Feb 5, 2012

### sabanation12

If you tell me how to simplify that, I can come up with an answer for all the asymptotes for that and THEN you could check my work

5. Feb 5, 2012

### gsal

hhhmmm...maybe you should port over in the Homework forum

6. Feb 5, 2012

### sabanation12

Its not homework though...

7. Feb 5, 2012

### Benn

Read the sticky. It's a "homework-style" question. Whether it was assigned is irrelevant.

8. Feb 5, 2012

### sabanation12

And by the way, my phrasing "How would I go about simplifying this" doesn't ask for POOF HERE'S THE ANSWER. It shows that I don't know where to even GET STARTED working the problem. Now that I have shown that this is just part of my problem and that I will show my work for the full problem once someone helps me, and that this is NOT HOMEWORK, can someone please help me? A push in the right direction? Anything?

9. Feb 5, 2012

### sabanation12

Touche, this does seem to fit those guidelines.

10. Feb 5, 2012

### sabanation12

How do I move this?

11. Feb 5, 2012

### sabanation12

Err you know what, Ill go work on this somewhere else. Thanks for your guys time. I guess.

-Topic Closed (essentially)

12. Feb 5, 2012

### Benn

When adding fractions, you must have a common denominator.. hope that helps..

13. Feb 7, 2012

### sankalpmittal

Are you sure this isn't your homework ? But this is textbook style question only. Mods kindly transfer it to homework and coursework questions section...

Use this hint : Try taking the LCM of the denominator... Lets see what do you get.

By the way , I am in 10th grade..

Last edited: Feb 7, 2012
14. Feb 7, 2012

### SteveL27

You should start by disambiguating 3(x-1) / (x+1)(x-2). As written, it should be interpreted as

[3(x-1) / (x+1)] * (x-2)

because / and times have equal precedence, so you evaluate them left to right.

But I have the feeling that's not what you meant. So the first thing is to be very clear in your mind and in your notation exactly what the question is.

Same remark for the second term as well.

15. Feb 7, 2012

### 2slowtogofast

Maybe this will help

$\frac{3(x-1)}{(x+1)(x-2)}$ + $\frac{2(x-1)}{(x-2)(x-4)}$ = $\frac{3(x-1)(x-4) + 2(x-1)(x+1)}{(x+1)(x-4)(x-2)}$