Question

X2-7x-12/x-2

Answer 1

do you mean (x^2-7x-12)/(x-2)?
break it down:
(x^2-7x)/(x-2)
let's try x in order to eliminate the x^2
(x^2-7x)-(x^2-2x)=-5x
carry down the -12, so you'll have:
(-5x-12)/(x-2)
how would I eliminate -5x? what should I multiply (x-2) to by in order to eliminate -5x? (hint: x times what equals -5x?)

Answer 2

not much can be done with it, if you wanted it simplified

(x^2 - 7x - 12)/(x-2)
= (x-3)(x-4)/(x-2) , noting cancels here.

or
you can do either a long divsison or synthetic division to get
(x^2 - 7x - 12)/(x-2)
= (x-5) - 2/(x-2)