Perform the indicated operations.

StartFraction 4 Over r squared minus 4 r EndFraction plus StartFraction 4 Over r squared plus 8 r EndFraction minus StartFraction 1 Over r squared plus 4 r minus 32 EndFraction

1 answer

To perform the operations on the given fractions, let's start by rewriting the expression with a common denominator. The expression is:

\[ \frac{4}{r^2 - 4r} + \frac{4}{r^2 + 8r} - \frac{1}{r^2 + 4r - 32} \]

First, we will factor the denominators:

  1. \( r^2 - 4r = r(r - 4) \)
  2. \( r^2 + 8r = r(r + 8) \)
  3. To factor \( r^2 + 4r - 32 \), we look for two numbers that multiply to \(-32\) and add to \(4\). These numbers are \(8\) and \(-4\), so: \[ r^2 + 4r - 32 = (r - 4)(r + 8) \]

Next, we rewrite our expression with the factored denominators:

\[ \frac{4}{r(r - 4)} + \frac{4}{r(r + 8)} - \frac{1}{(r - 4)(r + 8)} \]

Now, we need to find the least common denominator (LCD). The LCD will be:

\[ r(r - 4)(r + 8) \]

Now, we rewrite each fraction with this common denominator:

  1. For the first term: \[ \frac{4}{r(r - 4)} = \frac{4(r + 8)}{r(r - 4)(r + 8)} \]

  2. For the second term: \[ \frac{4}{r(r + 8)} = \frac{4(r - 4)}{r(r + 8)(r - 4)} \]

  3. For the third term: \[ \frac{1}{(r - 4)(r + 8)} = \frac{r}{r(r - 4)(r + 8)} \]

Putting it all together, we have:

\[ \frac{4(r + 8) + 4(r - 4) - r}{r(r - 4)(r + 8)} \]

Now, simplify the numerator:

\[ 4(r + 8) + 4(r - 4) - r = 4r + 32 + 4r - 16 - r = 7r + 16 \]

Thus, we rewrite the expression:

\[ \frac{7r + 16}{r(r - 4)(r + 8)} \]

This is the simplified form of the original expression. Therefore, the final result is:

\[ \frac{7r + 16}{r(r - 4)(r + 8)} \]