Question

How do you simplify `(14a^2b + 35ab^2) / (7ab)`?

Answer 1

All the terms in the numerator (i.e. on top) are divisible by the denominator `7ab`, so just divide through to get `2a + 5b`.

Taking it a little slower:

`(14a^2b + 35ab^2)/(7ab) = (2a^2b + 5ab^2)/(ab)` (dividing through by `7`)

`= (2ab + 5b^2)/b` (dividing through by `a`)

`= (2a + 5b)/1` (dividing through by `b`)

`= 2a + 5b`