Simplifying: Put it Together

Date: 4/5/96 at 15:44:31
From:  RDIANNE GREEN
Subject: Math help, please

Hello,

Could you please help me work out the following problem?

I am supposed to perform the indicated operations and express the 
results in lowest terms.

Here's the problem:

   5       -      4x       -   2-x
 -----            -----          -----  =  ?
  x-1             x-1          x-1

Here is as far as I could get:

  5-4x-2-x
 ----------   =   ?
    x-1

Could you show me how to finish the operations and how to get it 
further reduced to its lowest terms?

Thankx in advance!!

jodi

Date: 4/7/96 at 19:46:0
From: Doctor Sebastien
Subject: Re: Math help, please

Hi.

You did go very far.  There are a few more steps to go.

So, you now have 

5-4x-2-x
--------
    x-1

Which I will write as (5-4x-2-x)/(x-1).

Now, we can subtract the 2 from the 5 and the x from the -4x
We get (3-5x)/(x-1), which is your answer.

-Doctor Sebastien,  The Math Forum