Algebra · real student question

Split (3x² − 15x + 5)/(−3x) into separate fractions and simplify.

Question

Split into separate fractions and simplify:

3x215x+53x\frac{3x^{2}-15x+5}{-3x}

Step-by-step solution

  1. Split term by term, keeping the negative denominator on each piece. The negative sign belongs to the divisor, so it acts on every term — this is where signs most often go astray:

    3x23x15x3x+53x\frac{3x^{2}}{-3x}-\frac{15x}{-3x}+\frac{5}{-3x}

  2. Simplify the first term.

    3x23x=x\frac{3x^{2}}{-3x}=-x

  3. Simplify the second term. A negative divided by a negative is positive:

    15x3x=+5-\frac{15x}{-3x}=+5

  4. Simplify the third term. The 55 has no xx to cancel, so it stays as a fraction:

    53x=53x\frac{5}{-3x}=-\frac{5}{3x}

  5. Reassemble.

    x+553x(x0)\boxed{-x+5-\frac{5}{3x}}\qquad(x\neq 0)

  6. Check by multiplying back and numerically. 3x(x+553x)=3x215x+5-3x\left(-x+5-\tfrac{5}{3x}\right)=3x^{2}-15x+5 ✓. At x=1x=1: the original is 315+53=73=732.333\tfrac{3-15+5}{-3}=\tfrac{-7}{-3}=\tfrac73\approx 2.333, and the answer gives 1+553=73-1+5-\tfrac53=\tfrac73 ✓.

Answer

x+553x(x0)-x+5-\dfrac{5}{3x}\qquad(x\neq 0)

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