Question

How do you simplify `\frac { - 3} { 10w y ^ { 2} } - \frac { 5} { 6w ^ { 2} y }`?

Answer 1

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

To add or subtract fractions they must be over a common denominator. First, put both these fractions over a common denominator by multiplying by the appropriate form of `1`:

`(-3)/(10wy^2) xx (3w)/(3w) = (-3 xx 3w)/(10wy^2 xx (3w)) = (-9w)/(30w^2y^2)`

`5/(6w^2y) xx (5y)/(5y) = (5 xx 5y)/(6w^2y xx 5y) = (25y)/(30w^2y^2)`

We can rewrite the expression as:

`(-9w)/(30w^2y^2) - (25y)/(30w^2y^2) =>`

`(-9w - 25y)/(30w^2y^2)`