Algebra Examples

$\frac{a^{- 1} + 3}{a^{- 1} - 3}$

Step 1

Simplify the numerator.

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Step 1.1

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

$\frac{\frac{1}{a} + 3}{a^{- 1} - 3}$

Step 1.2

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

$\frac{\frac{1}{a} + \frac{3 a}{a}}{a^{- 1} - 3}$

Step 1.3

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$\frac{\frac{1 + 3 a}{a}}{a^{- 1} - 3}$

Step 2

Simplify the denominator.

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Step 2.1

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

$\frac{\frac{1 + 3 a}{a}}{\frac{1}{a} - 3}$

Step 2.2

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

$\frac{\frac{1 + 3 a}{a}}{\frac{1}{a} - 3 \cdot \frac{a}{a}}$

Step 2.3

Combine $- 3$ and $\frac{a}{a}$ .

$\frac{\frac{1 + 3 a}{a}}{\frac{1}{a} + \frac{- 3 a}{a}}$

Step 2.4

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$\frac{\frac{1 + 3 a}{a}}{\frac{1 - 3 a}{a}}$

Step 3

Multiply the numerator by the reciprocal of the denominator.

$\frac{1 + 3 a}{a} \cdot \frac{a}{1 - 3 a}$

Step 4

Cancel the common factor of $a$ .

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Step 4.1

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{1 + 3 a}{a} \cdot \frac{a}{1 - 3 a}$

Step 4.2

Rewrite the expression.

$(1 + 3 a) \frac{1}{1 - 3 a}$

Step 5

Multiply $1 + 3 a$ by $\frac{1}{1 - 3 a}$ .

$\frac{1 + 3 a}{1 - 3 a}$