Algebra help?

Question

trying to understand how to figure out this problem. Its not homework I am trying to understand algebra for my kids AHHHHH!

x2-x-6/x2-4

Is this possible how the heck do you subtract letters?

Answer 1

I see your dilemna. Now, you are not going to get an answer like you would in, say 6/3. It's not going to be 2, or a whole number. Providing you mean 2x and not x2, the answer to this problem goes like this.

2x-x=x

2x-4=2(x-2) because 2 times x=2x and 2 times 2=4.

Then (x-6)/2(x-2)

Since you cannot do any more with this problem (I believe you cannot divide the parenthesis) that is your answer.

I do not know what lesson you are doing (I.E. Long polynomial division or simplifying or rationalizing the denominator) so I am not sure if this is the answer you are looking for.

Answer 2

Hello there.

Your question is  (x^2 - x - 6) divided by (x^2 -4)

Please take note that x^2 means the square of x.

What you need to do is to factorize the numerator and the denominator.

For the numerator :

x^2 - x - 6 = (x + 2) (x - 3)

For the denominator :

x^2 - 4 = (x + 2) (x - 2)

Since both the numerator and the denominator have the same factor (x + 2), they cancel each other out, leaving just (x - 3) divided by (x - 2)

Since the numerator can be rewritten as (x - 2) - 1, there will be a quotient of 1 and a remainder of -1.

The presentation should look this way :

x^2 - x - 6

----------------    =

x^2 - 4

(x + 2) (x - 3)

--------------------  =

(x + 2) (x - 2)

x - 3

--------     =

x - 2

(x - 2) - 1

---------------   =

x - 2

-1

------- + 1

x -2

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I'm guessing you're trying to type this:

(x^2-x-6)/(x^2 - 4)

first...you factor the top and bottom:

(x-3)(x+2)

========

(x+2)(x-2)

the (x+2)'s cancel out...

so your left with:

x-3 / x-2

if you want to solve it for x....then you set it equal to 0.

(x-3)/(x-2) = 0

x=3....and x cannot equal 2 because you can't divide by zero.

Answer 4

x2-x-6/x2-4=

First factor numerator and denominator

(x-3)(x+2)/ (x+2)(x-2)

x+2 cancels out

x-3/x-2=

rewrite the fraction

x/x-2 - 3/x-2=

add -3/x-2 to both sides

x/x-2 = 3/x-2

multiply both sides by x-2

x=3

algebrahelp.com may help as well

Answer 5

x^2-x-6.....------> answers is (-6,0) (0.0) You get this answers by graphing or factoring...

x^2-4......-----> answers is (-2,0) (2,0) You also get the answer by graphing or factoring...

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Answer 6

ok u have to factor top and bottom

x^2-1x-6 tell me 2 #s that muliply to -6 and add together to -1

= (x-3)(x+2)

x^2-4 = (x-2)(x+2)

so

x2-x-6/x2-4=(x-3)(x+2)/(x-2)(x+2)

the x+2s simplify

so x-3/x-2 is the answer