Question

How do you simplify and find the excluded value of `(3x^2 - 3) /( 6x - 6 )`?

Answer 1

excluded value is x = 1 for unsimplified expression
no excluded value for simplified expression
simplified: `(x + 1)/2`

Explanation:

factor numerator: `3(x^2 - 1)` = `3(x - 1)(x + 1)`
factor denominator: `6(x - 1)`
`(3(x-1)(x+1))/(6(x-1))` which simplifies to `(x +1)/2`
to find excluded value set denominator = 0 and solve for variable to find excluded value. Since cannot divide by 0, any value of the variable that makes the denominator = 0 is excluded
`6(x - 1) = 0` `-> (x - 1) = 0 -> x = 1`