Simplify Start Fraction f plus g over f minus g End Fraction when f left-parenthesis x right-parenthesis equals Start Fraction x minus 6 over x plus 7 End Fraction and g left-parenthesis x right-parenthesis equals Start Fraction x minus 7 over x plus 6 End Fraction.

(1 point)
Responses

negative Start Fraction 2 x squared minus 85 over 85 End Fraction
Image with alt text: negative Start Fraction 2 x squared minus 85 over 85 End Fraction

negative Start Fraction 85 over 2 x squared minus 85 End Fraction
Image with alt text: negative Start Fraction 85 over 2 x squared minus 85 End Fraction

Start Fraction 2 x squared minus 85 over 13 End Fraction
Image with alt text: Start Fraction 2 x squared minus 85 over 13 End Fraction

Start Fraction 13 over 2 x squared minus 85 End Fraction

1 answer

To simplify the expression \(\frac{f + g}{f - g}\) where

\[ f(x) = \frac{x - 6}{x + 7} \quad \text{and} \quad g(x) = \frac{x - 7}{x + 6}, \]

we first need to calculate \(f + g\) and \(f - g\).

Step 1: Find \(f + g\)

\[ f + g = \frac{x - 6}{x + 7} + \frac{x - 7}{x + 6}. \]

To add these fractions, we need a common denominator, which is \((x + 7)(x + 6)\):

\[ f + g = \frac{(x - 6)(x + 6) + (x - 7)(x + 7)}{(x + 7)(x + 6)}. \]

Calculating the numerators:

  1. For \((x - 6)(x + 6)\):

\[ (x - 6)(x + 6) = x^2 - 36. \]

  1. For \((x - 7)(x + 7)\):

\[ (x - 7)(x + 7) = x^2 - 49. \]

Now combine these results:

\[ f + g = \frac{x^2 - 36 + x^2 - 49}{(x + 7)(x + 6)} = \frac{2x^2 - 85}{(x + 7)(x + 6)}. \]

Step 2: Find \(f - g\)

\[ f - g = \frac{x - 6}{x + 7} - \frac{x - 7}{x + 6}. \]

Again, using a common denominator:

\[ f - g = \frac{(x - 6)(x + 6) - (x - 7)(x + 7)}{(x + 7)(x + 6)}. \]

We already calculated the numerators earlier:

\[ f - g = \frac{(x^2 - 36) - (x^2 - 49)}{(x + 7)(x + 6)} = \frac{-36 + 49}{(x + 7)(x + 6)} = \frac{13}{(x + 7)(x + 6)}. \]

Step 3: Combine \(f + g\) and \(f - g\) to find \(\frac{f + g}{f - g}\)

Now we can calculate:

\[ \frac{f + g}{f - g} = \frac{\frac{2x^2 - 85}{(x + 7)(x + 6)}}{\frac{13}{(x + 7)(x + 6)}}. \]

This simplifies to:

\[ \frac{2x^2 - 85}{13}. \]

Thus, the final simplified expression is:

\[ \frac{2x^2 - 85}{13}. \]

So the correct answer is:

\[ \boxed{\frac{2x^2 - 85}{13}}. \]