Refer to Section 72 in your text for examples to subtract th

Refer to Section 7.2 in your text for examples to subtract the following rational expressions. Show the steps necessary to get a common denominator, perform the operation, and simplify your final answer to lowest terms:

Solution

(n^2 - 5n) / ( n^2 + 8n + 16 ) - ( 6) / ( n + 4 )

factoring n^2+8n+16 = ( n+4)^2

so lcd would be (n+4)^2

(n^2 - 5n) / (n+4)^2 - (6 (n+4) ) / (n+4) ^2

we get

(n^2 - 5n -6n - 24 )/ (n+4)^2

(n^2 - 11n - 24 ) / ( n+4)^2