Compare your table with another student from your class and discuss if there is a pattern (using powers) to fi nd the power of the simplifi ed result in the table?
What have you learned about dividing terms from completing this table? Dividing variables
Within any fraction, you can divide the numerator and denominator by the same number or variable to simplify the fraction.
Dividing a term by another term Divide the numerator and denominator by their highest common factor Divide the numerator and denominator by all common variables Sign ÷ sign
1
2 3
Here are some examples: x ÷ y = (x)
_ (y) = x
_ y
6a ÷ 2a2
= (6a)_ ( 2a2
) = 6a _
2(a)(a) = 3 _
a 4n2 ÷ 4n2 = 4n2
___ 4n2
= 1
_ denominator
numerator
_ y means x divided by y
x
Divide numerator and denominator by 3
Divide numerator and denominator by 5
Divide numerator and denominator by 5 × 5
Method to simplify Simplifi ed result 1
5 2 5x
By the end of this section you should: ● understand how to divide terms