Algebra Examples

$5 {(x - 3)}^{- 1} + 4 {(x + 3)}^{- 1} - 2 {(x + 3)}^{- 2}$

Step 1

Simplify each term.

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Step 1.1

Rewrite the expression using the negative exponent rule $b^{- n} = \frac{1}{b^{n}}$ .

$5 \frac{1}{x - 3} + 4 {(x + 3)}^{- 1} - 2 {(x + 3)}^{- 2}$

Step 1.2

Combine $5$ and $\frac{1}{x - 3}$ .

$\frac{5}{x - 3} + 4 {(x + 3)}^{- 1} - 2 {(x + 3)}^{- 2}$

Step 1.3

Rewrite the expression using the negative exponent rule $b^{- n} = \frac{1}{b^{n}}$ .

$\frac{5}{x - 3} + 4 \frac{1}{x + 3} - 2 {(x + 3)}^{- 2}$

Step 1.4

Combine $4$ and $\frac{1}{x + 3}$ .

$\frac{5}{x - 3} + \frac{4}{x + 3} - 2 {(x + 3)}^{- 2}$

Step 1.5

Rewrite the expression using the negative exponent rule $b^{- n} = \frac{1}{b^{n}}$ .

$\frac{5}{x - 3} + \frac{4}{x + 3} - 2 \frac{1}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 1.6

Combine $- 2$ and $\frac{1}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$ .

$\frac{5}{x - 3} + \frac{4}{x + 3} + \frac{- 2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 1.7

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$\frac{5}{x - 3} + \frac{4}{x + 3} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 2

To write $\frac{5}{x - 3}$ as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by $\frac{x + 3}{x + 3}$ .

$\frac{5}{x - 3} \cdot \frac{x + 3}{x + 3} + \frac{4}{x + 3} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 3

To write $\frac{4}{x + 3}$ as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by $\frac{x - 3}{x - 3}$ .

$\frac{5}{x - 3} \cdot \frac{x + 3}{x + 3} + \frac{4}{x + 3} \cdot \frac{x - 3}{x - 3} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4

Write each expression with a common denominator of $(x - 3) (x + 3)$ , by multiplying each by an appropriate factor of $1$ .

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Step 4.1

Multiply $\frac{5}{x - 3}$ by $\frac{x + 3}{x + 3}$ .

$\frac{5 (x + 3)}{(x - 3) (x + 3)} + \frac{4}{x + 3} \cdot \frac{x - 3}{x - 3} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.2

Multiply $\frac{4}{x + 3}$ by $\frac{x - 3}{x - 3}$ .

$\frac{5 (x + 3)}{(x - 3) (x + 3)} + \frac{4 (x - 3)}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 4.3

Reorder the factors of $(x - 3) (x + 3)$ .

$\frac{5 (x + 3)}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} + \frac{4 (x - 3)}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 5

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$\frac{5 (x + 3) + 4 (x - 3)}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 6

Simplify the numerator.

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Step 6.1

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{5 x + 5 \cdot 3 + 4 (x - 3)}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 6.2

Multiply $5$ by $3$ .

$\frac{5 x + 15 + 4 (x - 3)}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 6.3

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{5 x + 15 + 4 x + 4 \cdot - 3}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 6.4

Multiply $4$ by $- 3$ .

$\frac{5 x + 15 + 4 x - 12}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 6.5

Add $5 x$ and $4 x$ .

$\frac{9 x + 15 - 12}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 6.6

Subtract $12$ from $15$ .

$\frac{9 x + 3}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 6.7

Factor $3$ out of $9 x + 3$ .

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Step 6.7.1

Factor $3$ out of $9 x$ .

$\frac{3 (3 x) + 3}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 6.7.2

Factor $3$ out of $3$ .

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

Step 6.7.3

Factor $3$ out of $3 (3 x) + 3 (1)$ .

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

Step 7

To write $\frac{3 (3 x + 1)}{(x + 3) (x - 3)}$ as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by $\frac{x + 3}{x + 3}$ .

$\frac{3 (3 x + 1)}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} \cdot \frac{x + 3}{x + 3} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$

Step 8

To write $- \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$ as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by $\frac{x - 3}{x - 3}$ .

$\frac{3 (3 x + 1)}{(x + 3) (x - 3)} \cdot \frac{x + 3}{x + 3} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}} \cdot \frac{x - 3}{x - 3}$

Step 9

Write each expression with a common denominator of $(x - 3) {(x + 3)}^{2}$ , by multiplying each by an appropriate factor of $1$ .

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Step 9.1

Multiply $\frac{3 (3 x + 1)}{(x + 3) (x - 3)}$ by $\frac{x + 3}{x + 3}$ .

$\frac{3 (3 x + 1) (x + 3)}{(x + 3) (x - 3) (x + 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}} \cdot \frac{x - 3}{x - 3}$

Step 9.2

Raise $x + 3$ to the power of $1$ .

$\frac{3 (3 x + 1) (x + 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{1} (x + 3) (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}} \cdot \frac{x - 3}{x - 3}$

Step 9.3

Raise $x + 3$ to the power of $1$ .

$\frac{3 (3 x + 1) (x + 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{1} {(x + 3)}^{1} (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}} \cdot \frac{x - 3}{x - 3}$

Step 9.4

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

$\frac{3 (3 x + 1) (x + 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{1 + 1} (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}} \cdot \frac{x - 3}{x - 3}$

Step 9.5

Add $1$ and $1$ .

$\frac{3 (3 x + 1) (x + 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)} - \frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}} \cdot \frac{x - 3}{x - 3}$

Step 9.6

Multiply $\frac{2}{{(x + 3)}^{2}}$ by $\frac{x - 3}{x - 3}$ .

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

Step 10

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

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

Step 11

Simplify the numerator.

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Step 11.1

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{(3 (3 x) + 3 \cdot 1) (x + 3) - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.2

Multiply $3$ by $3$ .

$\frac{(9 x + 3 \cdot 1) (x + 3) - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.3

Multiply $3$ by $1$ .

$\frac{(9 x + 3) (x + 3) - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.4

Expand $(9 x + 3) (x + 3)$ using the FOIL Method.

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Step 11.4.1

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{9 x (x + 3) + 3 (x + 3) - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.4.2

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{9 x \cdot x + 9 x \cdot 3 + 3 (x + 3) - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.4.3

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{9 x \cdot x + 9 x \cdot 3 + 3 x + 3 \cdot 3 - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.5

Simplify and combine like terms.

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Step 11.5.1

Simplify each term.

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Step 11.5.1.1

Multiply $x$ by $x$ by adding the exponents.

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Step 11.5.1.1.1

Move $x$ .

$\frac{9 (x \cdot x) + 9 x \cdot 3 + 3 x + 3 \cdot 3 - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.5.1.1.2

Multiply $x$ by $x$ .

$\frac{9 x^{2} + 9 x \cdot 3 + 3 x + 3 \cdot 3 - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.5.1.2

Multiply $3$ by $9$ .

$\frac{9 x^{2} + 27 x + 3 x + 3 \cdot 3 - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.5.1.3

Multiply $3$ by $3$ .

$\frac{9 x^{2} + 27 x + 3 x + 9 - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.5.2

Add $27 x$ and $3 x$ .

$\frac{9 x^{2} + 30 x + 9 - 2 (x - 3)}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.6

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{9 x^{2} + 30 x + 9 - 2 x - 2 \cdot - 3}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.7

Multiply $- 2$ by $- 3$ .

$\frac{9 x^{2} + 30 x + 9 - 2 x + 6}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.8

Subtract $2 x$ from $30 x$ .

$\frac{9 x^{2} + 28 x + 9 + 6}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$

Step 11.9

Add $9$ and $6$ .

$\frac{9 x^{2} + 28 x + 15}{{(x + 3)}^{2} (x - 3)}$