6.

4 Adding and
Subtracting
Rational
Expressions
Objective 1

Add rational expressions

having the same
denominator.

Slide 6.4-3
Add rational expressions having the same
denominator.
We find the sum of two rational expressions with the same
procedure that we used in Section 1.1 for adding two
fractions having the same denominator.

Adding Rational Expressions (Same

Denominator)
P R
Q Q
If and (Q 0) are rational expressions, then
P R PR
.
Q Q Q

That is, to add rational expressions with the same

denominator, add the numerators and keep the same
denominator.

Slide 6.4-4
 Adding Rational Expressions (Same
CLASSROOM
Denominator)
EXAMPLE 1
Add. Write each answer in lowest
terms.
Solution:

7 3 73 10 2 5 2

15 15 15 15 3 5 3

2x 2y 2x 2 y 2 x y
2
x y x y x y x y

Slide 6.4-5
Objective 2

Add rational expressions

having different
denominators.

Slide 6.4-6
Add rational expressions having different
denominators.
We use the following steps, which are the same as those
used in Section 1.1 to add fractions having different
denominators.
Adding Rational Expressions (Different
Denominators)

Step 1: Find the least common denominator (LCD).

Step 2: Rewrite each rational expression as an
equivalent rational expression with the LCD as the
denominator.
Step 3: Add the numerators to get the numerator of the
sum. The LCD is the denominator of the sum.

Step 4: Write in lowest terms using the fundamental

property.

Slide 6.4-7
 Adding Rational Expressions (Different
CLASSROOM
Denominators)
EXAMPLE 2
Add. Write each answer in lowest
terms.
Solution:

1 1 1 3 1 2 3 2 3 2 5 1

10 15 10 3 15 2 30 30 30 30 6
10 2 5
15 3 5
LCD 2 3 5 30

m 2 m 7 2 3 7m 6 7m 6

3n 7 n 3n 7 7 n 3 21n 21n 21n

LCD 3 7 n 21n
Slide 6.4-8
CLASSROOM
Adding Rational Expressions
EXAMPLE 3
Add. Write the answer in lowest
terms.
2 4p
2
p 1 p 1

Solution:

2 4p 2 p 1 4p

p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1

2 p 2 4 p

2p 2

2 p 1

2
p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1 p 1

Slide 6.4-9
 CLASSROOM
Adding Rational Expressions
EXAMPLE 4
Add. Write the answer in lowest
terms.
2k 3
2
k 5k 4 k 1
2

Solution:

2k

3

2k

k 1

3

k 4
k 4 k 1 k 1 k 1 k 4 k 1 k 1 k 1 k 1 k 4
2k k 1 3 k 4 2k 2 2k 3k 12

k 4 k 1 k 1 k 4 k 1 k 1 k 4 k 1 k 1
2k 2 5k 12 2k 3 k 4

k 4 k 1 k 1 k 4 k 1 k 1

Slide 6.4-10
 Adding Rational Expressions (Denominators Are
CLASSROOM Opposites)
EXAMPLE 5
Add. Write the answer in lowest
terms.
m n

2m 3n 3n 2m
Solution:

m

n

1 m n

2m 3n 3n 2m 1 2m 3n 3n 2m
m n mn nm
or
2m 3n 2m 3n 2m 3n 3n 2m

Slide 6.4-11
Objective 3

Subtract rational
expressions.

Slide 6.4-12
Subtract rational expressions.
Subtracting Rational Expressions (Same
Denominator)
R R
If Q andQ (Q 0) P Rexpressions, then
P areRrational

Q Q Q
That is, to subtract rational
expressions with the same denominator, subtract the
numerators and keep the same denominator.
We subtract rational expressions having different
denominators using a procedure similar to the one used to
add rational expressions having different denominators.

Slide 6.4-13
 Subtracting Rational Expressions (Same
CLASSROOM
Denominator)
EXAMPLE 6
Subtract. Write the answer in lowest
terms.
5t 5 t

t 1 t 1
Solution:

5t 5 t 5t 5 t 4t 5

t 1 t 1 t 1

Sign errors often occur in subtraction problems. The numerator

of the fraction being subtracted must be treated as a single
quantity. Be sure to use parentheses after the
subtraction sign.
Slide 6.4-14
 Subtracting Rational Expressions (Different
CLASSROOM Denominators)
EXAMPLE 7
Subtract. Write the answer in lowest
terms.
6 1

a 2 a 3
Solution:
6 a 3 1 a 2 6a 18 a2

a 2 a 3 a 3 a 2 a 2 a 3 a 3 a 2

6a 18 a 2

6a 18 a 2 5a 20

a 2 a 3 a 2 a 3 a 2 a 3
5 a 4

a 2 a 3
Slide 6.4-15
 Subtracting Rational Expressions (Denominators Are
CLASSROOM Opposites)
EXAMPLE 8
Subtract. Write the answer in lowest
terms.
4 x 3x 1

x 1 1 x
Solution:

4 x 3 x 1 1 4 x 3x 1 4 x 3 x 1

x 1 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1

4 x 3x 1 x 1
1
x 1 x 1

Slide 6.4-16
 CLASSROOM
Subtracting Rational Expressions
EXAMPLE 9
Subtract. Write the answer in lowest
terms.
3r 4
2
r 5r r 10r 25
2

Solution:

3r 4 3r r 5 4 r

r r 5 r 5 r 5 r r 5 r 5 r 5 r 5 r
3r 2 15r 4r 3r 2 19r

r r 5 r 5 r r 5 r 5 r r 5 r 5
r 3r 19 3r 19

r r 5 r 5
r 5
2

Slide 6.4-17