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ACT Math 1.5 Intermediate Algebra 386 Views


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Description:

ACT Math Intermediate Algebra Drill 1, Problem 5. Can you simplify the expression?

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:02

Here's your shmoop du jour:

00:05

Simplify: quantity x squared minus 49 times

00:09

7... all over x times the quantity 7 minus x.

00:13

And here are the potential answers... Yuck. Ugly mess lots of sevens.

00:17

Okay. It's a factor problem... and we should be able to recognize that,

00:21

because we have a 7 and a 49 in the same line...49 is 7 squared so... we're just being baited.

00:28

First we need to factor the first part. We have quantity x minus 7 times quantity x plus

00:32

7... then all of that times 7... or we can just put the 7 in front, over here.

00:38

We've got a 7 MINUS x on the bottom -- but we need it to be the other way around, so

00:43

we have to multiply top and bottom by negative 1.

00:45

And we get this ugly equation:

00:47

Which simplifies to negative 7 times the quantity x plus 7... then all over x... and we're good.

00:53

Answer: B.

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