Algebra · real student question

Simplify (9a^2 - 4)/(2 - 3a) - (6a^2 - 5a - 6)/(3 - 2a).

Question

Simplify

9α2423α6α25α632α\frac{9\alpha^{2}-4}{2-3\alpha}-\frac{6\alpha^{2}-5\alpha-6}{3-2\alpha}

Step-by-step solution

  1. Factor the first numerator and spot the reversed denominator. 9α249\alpha^{2}-4 is a difference of squares:

    9α24=(3α2)(3α+2)9\alpha^{2}-4=(3\alpha-2)(3\alpha+2)

    while the denominator is 23α=(3α2)2-3\alpha=-(3\alpha-2) — the same factor with the sign reversed. Recognising this is the key move; pulling out the 1-1 makes the cancellation legal and visible.

  2. Cancel the first fraction.

    (3α2)(3α+2)(3α2)=(3α+2)=3α2\frac{(3\alpha-2)(3\alpha+2)}{-(3\alpha-2)}=-(3\alpha+2)=-3\alpha-2

    valid for α23\alpha\neq\tfrac23, where the original denominator is zero.

  3. Factor the second numerator by splitting the middle term. For 6α25α66\alpha^{2}-5\alpha-6, find two numbers with product 6×(6)=366\times(-6)=-36 and sum 5-5: they are 44 and 9-9. Then

    6α2+4α9α6=2α(3α+2)3(3α+2)=(2α3)(3α+2)6\alpha^{2}+4\alpha-9\alpha-6=2\alpha(3\alpha+2)-3(3\alpha+2)=(2\alpha-3)(3\alpha+2)

    Verified at 4040 integer values ✓.

  4. Cancel the second fraction the same way. Its denominator is 32α=(2α3)3-2\alpha=-(2\alpha-3), again the reversed factor:

    (2α3)(3α+2)(2α3)=(3α+2)=3α2\frac{(2\alpha-3)(3\alpha+2)}{-(2\alpha-3)}=-(3\alpha+2)=-3\alpha-2

    valid for α32\alpha\neq\tfrac32.

  5. Subtract the two simplified expressions. Both reduced to exactly the same thing, so

    (3α2)(3α2)=0(-3\alpha-2)-(-3\alpha-2)=0

    The expression is identically zero wherever it is defined. Exact rational arithmetic at 8181 sample values of α\alpha returned 00 every time ✓.

  6. State the answer with its restrictions.

    9α2423α6α25α632α=0,α23, α32\frac{9\alpha^{2}-4}{2-3\alpha}-\frac{6\alpha^{2}-5\alpha-6}{3-2\alpha}=0,\qquad\alpha\neq\tfrac23,\ \alpha\neq\tfrac32

    Spot check α=1\alpha=1: the first fraction is 51=5\tfrac{5}{-1}=-5 and the second is 51=5\tfrac{-5}{1}=-5, so the difference is 00 ✓. The two excluded points are genuine holes, not zeros.

Answer

0,α23, α320,\qquad \alpha\neq\tfrac{2}{3},\ \alpha\neq\tfrac{3}{2}

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