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Multiplying

Part of the Polynomials & Rational Expressions section of Coddy's Algebra 2 journey. Lesson 26 of 51.

Multiplying rational expressions works like 23⋅94\frac{2}{3}\cdot \frac{9}{4}: multiply the tops, multiply the bottoms, then cancel. Take x2−43x⋅6xx−2\frac{{x}^{2}-4}{3x}\cdot \frac{6x}{x-2}. Factor first, so the shared factors are in plain view: x2−4{x}^{2}-4 is (x+2)(x−2)\left(x+2\right)\left(x-2\right). Then multiply across:

(x+2)(x−2)⋅6x3x(x−2)\frac{\left(x+2\right)\left(x-2\right)\cdot 6x}{3x\left(x-2\right)}

Now cancel every factor the top and bottom share: x - 2 goes, x goes, and 6 over 3 leaves 2. What remains is 2(x+2)2\left(x+2\right), and multiplying out the top gives the finished answer, 2x+42x+4. There is no common denominator to find: that is only needed when you add or subtract.

The excluded values still come from the original bottoms: here 0 and 2, even though both cancelled.

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Challenge

Multiply and simplify x2−12x⋅4xx+1\frac{{x}^{2}-1}{2x}\cdot \frac{4x}{x+1}. Write the answer with its top multiplied out.

Try it yourself

x2−12x4xx+1\frac{x^{2}-1}{2x}\frac{4x}{x+1}

Write it as one fraction

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