b. \( \frac{2}{2 x-4}-\frac{5}{x^{2}-4} \)
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To solve this expression, let's first rewrite it for clarity: \( \frac{2}{2x-4} - \frac{5}{x^2-4} \). Notice that \( 2x - 4 \) can be factored as \( 2(x - 2) \), and \( x^2 - 4 \) is a difference of squares, which can be factored as \( (x - 2)(x + 2) \). Now, let's get a common denominator to combine the fractions: the least common denominator (LCD) here would be \( 2(x - 2)(x + 2) \). Rewriting each fraction with the common denominator gives: \[ \frac{2(x + 2)}{2(x - 2)(x + 2)} - \frac{5(2)}{2(x - 2)(x + 2)} \] Now combine them: \[ \frac{2(x + 2) - 10}{2(x - 2)(x + 2)} = \frac{2x + 4 - 10}{2(x - 2)(x + 2)} = \frac{2x - 6}{2(x - 2)(x + 2)} \] This simplifies to: \[ \frac{x - 3}{(x - 2)(x + 2)} \] And that's your result! Just remember, \( x \) must not equal 2 or -2 to avoid division by zero.