Precalculus Examples

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40}{x^{2} + x - 20} + \frac{3}{x - 4} - \frac{5 x}{x + 5}$

Step 1

Factor $x^{2} + x - 20$ using the AC method.

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Step 1.1

Consider the form $x^{2} + b x + c$ . Find a pair of integers whose product is $c$ and whose sum is $b$ . In this case, whose product is $- 20$ and whose sum is $1$ .

$- 4, 5$

Step 1.2

Write the factored form using these integers.

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40}{(x - 4) (x + 5)} + \frac{3}{x - 4} - \frac{5 x}{x + 5}$

Step 2

Find the common denominator.

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Step 2.1

Multiply $\frac{3}{x - 4}$ by $\frac{x + 5}{x + 5}$ .

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40}{(x - 4) (x + 5)} + \frac{3}{x - 4} \cdot \frac{x + 5}{x + 5} - \frac{5 x}{x + 5}$

Step 2.2

Multiply $\frac{3}{x - 4}$ by $\frac{x + 5}{x + 5}$ .

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40}{(x - 4) (x + 5)} + \frac{3 (x + 5)}{(x - 4) (x + 5)} - \frac{5 x}{x + 5}$

Step 2.3

Multiply $\frac{5 x}{x + 5}$ by $\frac{x - 4}{x - 4}$ .

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40}{(x - 4) (x + 5)} + \frac{3 (x + 5)}{(x - 4) (x + 5)} - (\frac{5 x}{x + 5} \cdot \frac{x - 4}{x - 4})$

Step 2.4

Multiply $\frac{5 x}{x + 5}$ by $\frac{x - 4}{x - 4}$ .

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40}{(x - 4) (x + 5)} + \frac{3 (x + 5)}{(x - 4) (x + 5)} - \frac{5 x (x - 4)}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 3

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40 + 3 (x + 5) - 5 x (x - 4)}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 4

Simplify each term.

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Step 4.1

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40 + 3 x + 3 \cdot 5 - 5 x (x - 4)}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 4.2

Multiply $3$ by $5$ .

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40 + 3 x + 15 - 5 x (x - 4)}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 4.3

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40 + 3 x + 15 - 5 x \cdot x - 5 x \cdot - 4}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 4.4

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

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Step 4.4.1

Move $x$ .

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40 + 3 x + 15 - 5 (x \cdot x) - 5 x \cdot - 4}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 4.4.2

Multiply $x$ by $x$ .

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40 + 3 x + 15 - 5 x^{2} - 5 x \cdot - 4}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 4.5

Multiply $- 4$ by $- 5$ .

$\frac{6 x^{2} + 17 x - 40 + 3 x + 15 - 5 x^{2} + 20 x}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 5

Simplify by adding terms.

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Step 5.1

Subtract $5 x^{2}$ from $6 x^{2}$ .

$\frac{x^{2} + 17 x - 40 + 3 x + 15 + 20 x}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 5.2

Add $17 x$ and $3 x$ .

$\frac{x^{2} + 20 x - 40 + 15 + 20 x}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 5.3

Add $20 x$ and $20 x$ .

$\frac{x^{2} + 40 x - 40 + 15}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$

Step 5.4

Add $- 40$ and $15$ .

$\frac{x^{2} + 40 x - 25}{(x + 5) (x - 4)}$