Question
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b. \( \frac{2}{2 x-4}-\frac{5}{x^{2}-4} \)

Ask by Chavez Davies. in the United States
Feb 03,2025

Real Tutor Solution

Tutor-Verified Answer

Answer

The simplified form is \( \frac{x-3}{x^{2}-4} \).

Solution

Calculate or simplify the expression \( \frac{2}{2x-4}-\frac{5}{x^{2}-4} \). Simplify the expression by following steps: - step0: Solution: \(\frac{2}{2x-4}-\frac{5}{x^{2}-4}\) - step1: Reduce the fraction: \(\frac{1}{x-2}-\frac{5}{x^{2}-4}\) - step2: Factor the expression: \(\frac{1}{x-2}-\frac{5}{\left(x+2\right)\left(x-2\right)}\) - step3: Reduce fractions to a common denominator: \(\frac{x+2}{\left(x-2\right)\left(x+2\right)}-\frac{5}{\left(x+2\right)\left(x-2\right)}\) - step4: Rewrite the expression: \(\frac{x+2}{\left(x+2\right)\left(x-2\right)}-\frac{5}{\left(x+2\right)\left(x-2\right)}\) - step5: Transform the expression: \(\frac{x+2-5}{\left(x+2\right)\left(x-2\right)}\) - step6: Subtract the numbers: \(\frac{x-3}{\left(x+2\right)\left(x-2\right)}\) - step7: Multiply the terms: \(\frac{x-3}{x^{2}-4}\) The simplified form of the expression \( \frac{2}{2x-4}-\frac{5}{x^{2}-4} \) is \( \frac{x-3}{x^{2}-4} \).

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Extra Insights

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.

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