How do you combine (x-3)/ (30x+5) - 2/ (18x+3)?

1 Answer
Alex Boroda
May 19, 2015

First, let's have a look at the two terms of our sum:

(x - 3) / (30 x + 5) = (x - 3) / (5(6 x + 1))

2 / (18 x + 3) = 2 / (3(6 x + 1))

Notice that the least common denominator is 5 * 3 * (6 x + 1) = 15(6 x + 1). This means that we have to multiply the first term by 3 and the second term by 5.

This gives: (3(x - 3) - 2 * 5) / (15(6 x + 1)) = (3 x - 19) / (15(6 x + 1)) = (3 x - 19) / (90 x + 15)

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