Question

How do you simplify `(x^2-25) / (2x) div (x^2 + 6x+5) / (4x^2)`?

Answer 1

First we change this into a multiplication, by inverting the second term.

Explanation:

Inverting means swapping the stuff below and above the division bar:

`=(x^2-25)/(2x)xx(4x^2)/(x^2+6x+5)`

Now, if we factorize, we may cancel some parts:

`=(cancel((x+5))(x-5))/(cancel(2x))xx((2x*cancel(2x)))/((x+1)cancel((x+5)))`

`=(2x(x-5))/(x+1)=(4x^2-10x)/(x+1)`