What constitutes a rational expression How would you explain

What constitutes a rational expression? How would you explain this concept to someone unfamiliar with it?

Solution

A rational expression involves a division where two numbers form a ratio; for example [3/4] is a rational expression. Remember that the denominator (in the above example, the [4] ) cannot be 0 as this would render the expression as undefined.

When the example includes [x] or any variable in the denominator ; for example [3/(x-1)] , this indicates that [x!=1] because that would render the denominator as [1-1 = 0] and our expression would be undefined for [x=1] so would NOT represent a rational expression.

[(x+2)/(x+3)] This would be a rational expression for values other than [x=-3] [therefore x!=-3] Or you could say that the expression is undefined at x= -3. For all other values it is a rational expression.