1. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 1

2. Add and Subtract Rational Expressions

3. 3 Adding or Subtracting Rational Expressions Step 1 Identify a common denominator. Step 3 Write each expression using the common denominator. Step 2 Multiply each expression by an appropriate form of step 1 so that each term has the common denominator as its denominator. Step 4 Add or subtract the numerators, combining like terms as needed. Step 5 Factor as needed. Step 6 Simplify as needed.

4. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 Examples: Addition & Subtraction Example: Add. Example: Subtract.

5. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 5 Different Denominators Two rational expressions with different denominators can be added or subtracted after they are rewritten with a common denominator. Example: Add.

6. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 Example: Subtract Add/Subtract numerators. Factor. Divide. Simplest form

7. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 7 Factor Subtract Expand

8. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 8 Example: Subtract Factor the numerator Simplify

9. Example 1: Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 9

10. Example 2: Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 10

11. Example 3: Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 11

12. CW and HW Classwork: Pg 332 (7 – 12) Homework: WS 8.4 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 12