1. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible.

2. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible. EXAMPLE # 1 :

3. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible. EXAMPLE # 1 : EXAMPLE # 2 :

4. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible. EXAMPLE # 1 : EXAMPLE # 2 : EXAMPLE # 3 :

5. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible. EXAMPLE # 4 :

6. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible. EXAMPLE # 4 : Distributed ( - )

7. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible. EXAMPLE # 4 : Combined like terms…

8. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible. EXAMPLE # 5 : Even though this answer is correct, it is not in simplest from. We will need to simplify by factoring.

9. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible. EXAMPLE # 5 : Factor and simplify.

10. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible. EXAMPLE # 6 : Check to see if answer is in simplest form by factoring.

11. Rational Expressions – Sum & Difference 1 When fractions already have a common denominator, keep the denominator the same and add / subtract your numerators. Combine any like terms when possible. EXAMPLE # 6 : No common terms to cancel so answer is OK.