View Full Version : Factor & simplifying
peri42
Aug 22, 2009, 09:19 PM
Im supposed to factor and simplify this: x^2+10x+25 divided by x^2+8x+15
OK so I factored it into (x+5)(x+5) over (x+3)(x+5).. now what? Is that all?
and another problem I'm having trouble with.. absolute value of "3.45-1.2^4"plus 10^5 all under radical sign
help I suck at math =/
morgaine300
Aug 22, 2009, 11:18 PM
\frac{(x+5)(x+5)}{(x+3)(x+5)}
Once factored, you start looking for things you can cancel out. What can you cancel out of the numerator and denominator?
sqrt{|3.4\,-\,1.2^4|\,+\,10^5}
Is this a correct interpretation of that last thing? And... what are you supposed to do with it? i.e. in what form is the answer supposed to be?
peri42
Aug 23, 2009, 12:57 PM
cancel out the (x+5)s so the answer would be (x+5)over(x+3) right?
srry I rote it rong.. its 1.2*10^4 and I'm supposed to write it in scientific notation to 3 significant digits and I got 3.34*10^2 is that correct?
Unknown008
Aug 23, 2009, 01:05 PM
For the first one, yep, that's right.
For the second one, you got the calculation correct, but you ignored the significant figures... The answer is 334.6589309... so, it becomes 3.35 x 10^2 in scientific three sig figures. :)
peri42
Aug 23, 2009, 01:15 PM
Oh OK I didn't round up.. thnks 4 your help!
morgaine300
Aug 24, 2009, 12:49 AM
srry i rote it rong..its 1.2*10^4 nd im supposed to write it in scientific notation to 3 significant digits nd i got 3.34*10^2 is that correct?
I'm actually glad to hear that, cause it looked a bit on the weird side to me. :)