factor the top
c-d
= -1(-c+d)
= -1(d-c)
then ....
c-d / d-c
= -1(d-c)/(d-c) = -1
I know the answer is -1, but what is the math that I have to show to get to that answer?
Thanks!
c-d
= -1(-c+d)
= -1(d-c)
then ....
c-d / d-c
= -1(d-c)/(d-c) = -1
Why do you factor first?
Is it so that you have to factor to switch the order of the variables?
Why can I not just do this? (other than because I will get the wrong answer!) :)
c-d/d-c
-d+c/d-c
Is c-d not the same as -d+c?
The reason I ask is because when I fill it in with numbers, it works:
c-d; let's say this equals 4-5, which would equal -1...
Then -d+c would equal -5+4 and still equal -1....
So that's why I'm confused.
I hope that makes sense.
Thanks sgain
but your question started with
(c-d)/(d-c)
which is
(-d + c)/(d - c)
I factored out the -1 , so my two brackets would be the same, and that you could see that I could just cancel them, leaving the -1
or you could see that in
(-d + c)/(d - c)
the numerator and denominator are opposites of each other and just like
-5 ÷ 5 = -1
27 ÷ -27 = -1
(-d + c)/(d - c) = -1
Step 1: Simplify the numerator (c - d)
The expression (c - d) represents the difference between c and d.
Step 2: Simplify the denominator (d - c)
Similarly, the expression (d - c) represents the difference between d and c.
Step 3: Simplify the fraction (c - d) / (d - c)
Since the numerator and denominator are the same but with opposite signs, we have:
(c - d) / (d - c) = -(d - c) / (d - c)
Step 4: Simplify the expression -(d - c) / (d - c)
Since the numerator and denominator are the same, the fraction simplifies to:
-(d - c) / (d - c) = -1
Therefore, the final answer is -1.
Note: It's important to highlight that dividing by zero is undefined in mathematics. So if (d - c) or (c - d) equals zero, the expression (c - d) / (d - c) would not be defined.