How do you simplify (x^2 - 7x + 6)/(x^2-36)?

1 Answer
Alan P.
Jul 27, 2016

(x^2-7x+6)/(x^2-36)=color(green)((x-1)/(x+6)
(assuming x!=+-6 so the original expression is valid).

Explanation:

Factoring
color(white)("XXX")x^2-7x+6 = (x-6)(x-1)

color(white)("XXX")x^2-36=(x-6)(x+6)

So
color(white)("XXX")(x^2-7x+6)/(x^2-36)=(cancel(""(x-6))(x-1))/(cancel(""(x-6))(x+6)

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