How do you simplify #(2x^2+6x+4)/(4x^-12x-16)#?

Question

1386 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2015-07-05T14:44:51

I will assume the expression in the question should be

#(2x^2+6x+4)/(4x^2-12x-16) = (x+2)/(2(x-4))#

with exclusion #x != -1#

#(2x^2+6x+4)/(4x^2-12x-16)#

#=(2(x^2+3x+2))/(4(x^2-3x-4))#

#=(2(x+1)(x+2))/(4(x+1)(x-4))#

#=(x+2)/(2(x-4))#

with exclusion #x != -1#

If #x = -1# the original expression becomes #0/0# which is not defined.