Algebra Examples

$\frac{- 2}{a^{2} b} + \frac{2}{a b^{2}}$

Step 1

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$- \frac{2}{a^{2} b} + \frac{2}{a b^{2}}$

Step 2

Finding the LCD of a list of values is the same as finding the LCM of the denominators of those values.

$a^{2} b, a b^{2}$

Step 3

Since $a^{2} b, a b^{2}$ contains both numbers and variables, there are two steps to find the LCM. Find LCM for the numeric part $1, 1$ then find LCM for the variable part $a^{2}, b^{1}, a^{1}, b^{2}$ .

Step 4

The LCM is the smallest positive number that all of the numbers divide into evenly.

1. List the prime factors of each number.

2. Multiply each factor the greatest number of times it occurs in either number.

Step 5

The number $1$ is not a prime number because it only has one positive factor, which is itself.

Not prime

Step 6

The LCM of $1, 1$ is the result of multiplying all prime factors the greatest number of times they occur in either number.

$1$

Step 7

The factors for $a^{2}$ are $a \cdot a$ , which is $a$ multiplied by each other $2$ times.

$a^{2} = a \cdot a$

$a$ occurs $2$ times.

Step 8

The factor for $b^{1}$ is $b$ itself.

$b^{1} = b$

$b$ occurs $1$ time.

Step 9

The factor for $a^{1}$ is $a$ itself.

$a^{1} = a$

$a$ occurs $1$ time.

Step 10

The factors for $b^{2}$ are $b \cdot b$ , which is $b$ multiplied by each other $2$ times.

$b^{2} = b \cdot b$

$b$ occurs $2$ times.

Step 11

The LCM of $a^{2}, b^{1}, a^{1}, b^{2}$ is the result of multiplying all prime factors the greatest number of times they occur in either term.

$a \cdot a \cdot b \cdot b$

Step 12

Simplify $a \cdot a \cdot b \cdot b$ .

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Step 12.1

Multiply $a$ by $a$ .

$a^{2} \cdot b \cdot b$

Step 12.2

Multiply $b$ by $b$ by adding the exponents.

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Step 12.2.1

Move $b$ .

$a^{2} \cdot (b \cdot b)$

Step 12.2.2

Multiply $b$ by $b$ .

$a^{2} \cdot b^{2}$

$a^{2} b^{2}$