8.3: Add and Subtract Rational Expressions with a Common Denominator
- Page ID
- 18979
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- Add rational expressions with a common denominator
- Subtract rational expressions with a common denominator
- Add and subtract rational expressions whose denominators are opposites
Before you get started, take this readiness quiz.
If you miss a problem, go back to the section listed and review the material.
- Add: \(\frac{y}{3}+\frac{9}{3}\).
If you missed this problem, review Exercise 1.7.1. - Subtract: \(\frac{10}{x}−\frac{2}{x}\).
If you missed this problem, review Exercise 1.7.7. - Factor completely: \(8n^5−20n^3\).
If you missed this problem, review Exercise 7.5.1. - Factor completely: \(45a^3−5ab^2\).
If you missed this problem, review Exercise 7.5.10.
Add Rational Expressions with a Common Denominator
What is the first step you take when you add numerical fractions? You check if they have a common denominator. If they do, you add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator. If they do not have a common denominator, you find one before you add.
It is the same with rational expressions. To add rational expressions, they must have a common denominator. When the denominators are the same, you add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator.
If p, q, and r are polynomials where \(r \ne 0\), then
\(\frac{p}{r}+\frac{q}{r}=\frac{p+q}{r}\)
To add rational expressions with a common denominator, add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator.
We will add two numerical fractions first, to remind us of how this is done.
Add: \(\frac{5}{18}+\frac{7}{18}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{5}{18}+\frac{7}{18}\) The fractions have a common denominator, so add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator. \(\frac{5+7}{18}\) Add in the numerator. \(\frac{12}{18}\) Factor the numerator and denominator to show the common factors. \(\frac{6·2}{6·3}\) Simplify. \(\frac{2}{3}\)
Add: \(\frac{7}{16}+\frac{5}{16}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{3}{4}\)
Add: \(\frac{3}{10}+\frac{1}{10}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{2}{5}\)
Add: \(\frac{3y}{4y−3}+\frac{7}{4y−3}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{3y}{4y−3}+\frac{7}{4y−3}\). The fractions have a common denominator, so add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator. \(\frac{3y+7}{4y−3}\) The numerator and denominator cannot be factored. The fraction is simplified.
Add: \(\frac{5x}{2x+3}+\frac{2}{2x+3}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{5x+2}{2x+3}\).
Add: \(\frac{x}{x−2}+\frac{1}{x−2}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{x+1}{x−2}\)
Add: \(\frac{7x+12}{x+3}+\frac{x^2}{x+3}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{7x+12}{x+3}+\frac{x^2}{x+3}\) The fractions have a common denominator, so add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator. \(\frac{7x+12+x^2}{x+3}\) Write the degrees in descending order. \(\frac{x^2+7x+12}{x+3}\) Factor the numerator. \(\frac{(x+3)(x+4)}{x+3}\) Simplify. x+4
Add: \(\frac{9x+14}{x+7}+\frac{x^2}{x+7}\).
- Answer
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x+2
Add: \(\frac{x^2+8x}{x+5}+\frac{15}{x+5}\).
- Answer
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x+3
Subtract Rational Expressions with a Common Denominator
To subtract rational expressions, they must also have a common denominator. When the denominators are the same, you subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominator.
If p, q, and r are polynomials where \(r \ne 0\)
\(\frac{p}{r}−\frac{q}{r}=\frac{p−q}{r}\)
To subtract rational expressions, subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominator.
Subtract: \(\frac{n^2}{n−10}−\frac{100}{n−10}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{n^2}{n−10}−\frac{100}{n−10}\) The fractions have a common denominator, so add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator. \(\frac{n^2−100}{n−10}\) Factor the numerator. \(\frac{(n−10)(n+10)}{n−10}\) Simplify. n+10
Subtract: \(\frac{x^2}{x+3}−\frac{9}{x+3}\).
- Answer
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x−3
Subtract: \(\frac{4x^2}{2x−5}−\frac{25}{2x−5}\).
- Answer
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2x+5
Be careful of the signs when you subtract a binomial!
Subtract: \(\frac{y^2}{y−6}−\frac{2y+24}{y−6}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{y^2}{y−6}−\frac{2y+24}{y−6}\) The fractions have a common denominator, so add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator. \(\frac{y^2−(2y+24)}{y−6}\) Distribute the sign in the numerator. \(\frac{y^2−2y−24}{y−6}\) Factor the numerator. \(\frac{(y−6)(y+4)}{y−6}\) Simplify. y+4
Subtract: \(\frac{n^2}{n−4}−\frac{n+12}{n−4}\).
- Answer
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n+3
Subtract: \(\frac{y^2}{y−1}−\frac{9y−8}{y−1}\).
- Answer
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y−8
Subtract: \(\frac{5x^2−7x+3}{x^2−3x-18}−\frac{4x^2+x−9}{x^2−3x-18}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{5x^2−7x+3}{x^2−3x+18}−\frac{4x^2+x−9}{x^2−3x+18}\) The fractions have a common denominator, so add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator. \(\frac{5x^2−7x+3−(4x^2+x−9)}{x^2−3x+18}\) Distribute the sign in the numerator. \(\frac{5x^2−7x+3−4x^2−x+9}{x^2−3x+18}\) Combine like terms. \(\frac{x^2−8x+12}{x^2−3x+18}\) Factor the numerator and the denominator. \(\frac{(x−2)(x−6)}{(x+3)(x−6)}\) Simplify. \(\frac{x−2}{x+3}\)
Subtract: \(\frac{4x^2−11x+8}{x^2−3x+2}−\frac{3x^2+x−3}{x^2−3x+2}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{x−11}{x−2}\)
Subtract: \(\frac{6x^2−x+20}{x^2−81}−\frac{5x^2+11x−7}{x^2−81}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{x−3}{x+9}\)
Add and Subtract Rational Expressions whose Denominators are Opposites
When the denominators of two rational expressions are opposites, it is easy to get a common denominator. We just have to multiply one of the fractions by \(\frac{−1}{−1}\)
Let’s see how this works.
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| Multiply the second fraction by \(\frac{−1}{−1}\). |  |
| The denominators are the same. |  |
| Simplify. |  |
Add: \(\frac{4u−1}{3u−1}+\frac{u}{1−3u}\).
- Answer
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Multiply the second fraction by \(\frac{−1}{−1}\). 
Simplify the second fraction. 
The denominators are the same. Add the numerators. 
Simplify. 
Simplify. 
Add: \(\frac{8x−15}{2x−5}+\frac{2x}{5−2x}\).
- Answer
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3
Add: \(\frac{6y^2+7y−10}{4y−7}+\frac{2y^2+2y+11}{7−4y}\).
- Answer
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y+3
Subtract: \(\frac{m^2−6m}{m^2−1}−\frac{3m+2}{1−m^2}\).
- Answer
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Multiply the second fraction by \(\frac{−1}{−1}\). 
Simplify the second fraction. 
The denominators are the same. Subtract the numerators. 
Distribute. m2−6m+3m+2m2−1 Combine like terms. 
Factor the numerator and denominator. 
Simplify by removing common factors. 
Simplify. 
Subtract: \(\frac{y^2−5y}{y^2−4}−\frac{6y−6}{4−y^2}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{y+3}{y+2}\)
Subtract: \(\frac{2n^2+8n−1}{n^2−1}−\frac{n^2−7n−1}{1−n^2}\).
- Answer
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\(\frac{3n−2}{n−1}\)
Key Concepts
- Rational Expression Addition
- If p, q, and r are polynomials where \(r \ne 0\), then
\(\frac{p}{r}+\frac{q}{r}=\frac{p+q}{r}\)
- To add rational expressions with a common denominator, add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator.
- If p, q, and r are polynomials where \(r \ne 0\), then
- Rational Expression Subtraction
- If p, q, and r are polynomials where \(r \ne 0\)
\(\frac{p}{r}−\frac{q}{r}=\frac{p−q}{r}\)
- To subtract rational expressions, subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominator.
- If p, q, and r are polynomials where \(r \ne 0\)