How do you simplify (t^2-25)/(t^2+t-20)?
1 Answer
Oct 8, 2015
Explanation:
Let's simplify both the numerator and denominator separately, we will start with the top:
t^2 - 25
Using the difference of squares, I come up with the factored form
(t-5)(t+5)
Let's save that for later, and jump to the bottom
t^2 + t - 20
If I think to myself the factors of -20 that add to 1, I get the numbers 5 and -4. This brings me to the factored form:
(t - 4)(t + 5)
Now putting the entire thing together, we have:
((t-5)cancel((t+5)))/((t-4)cancel((t+5)))
One commonality is formed between the top and the bottom, and that is
(t-5)/(t-4)