Question

How do you simplify `[1/(x+h)] - 1/x`?

Answer 1

`h/(x(x+h))` or `h/(x^2+hx)`

Explanation:

First you need to get each fraction over a common denominator by multiplying each fraction by the correct form of `1`. In this case the common denominator can be: `x(x + h)`

`(x/x)[1/(x+h)] - ((x+h)/(x+h))(1/x)`

`[x/(x(x+h))] - [(x+h)/(x(x+h))]`

Now we can combine the fractions through subtraction:

`(x - x + h)/(x(x+h))`

`h/(x(x+h))`