From a corkboard at my college campus.

  • @Truscape@lemm.eeOP
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    5114 days ago

    Cancelation between a numerator and denominator can only occur when both terms are multiplied as a whole, not simply added.

    In this case, the polynomial at the top needs to be converted to the root multiplication that lead to it: (x+1)^2, and the denominator needs to complete the square: (x-1)(x+1)+4, which would still be unable to have terms canceled (as there is still addition in the denominator that cannot be removed), so the original form is the valid answer.

    It’s a common thing drilled into students during these courses that you cannot simply cancel out terms at will - you have to modify polynomials first.

      • @Truscape@lemm.eeOP
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        3
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        13 days ago

        Numerator - top half of a fraction

        Denominator - bottom half of a fraction

        Roots of a polynomial - multiplying two terms of (x+some constant)(x+some constant) should equal the equation with a primary term of x^2

        “Completing the square” - Attempting to find roots of a difficult polynomial (in the case of that equation, finding 2 easy roots and adding a constant at the end of the denominator)

        Also Jia tan lol, XZ utils backdoor username?