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Simplify algebraic fractions – GCSE maths grade 6

November 14, 2013 by Simon 33 Comments


This video is all about how to simplify algebraic fractions.

Solve:

(x² – 25) / x² + 7x + 10

The question is aimed at around grade 6+ GCSE maths.

Top Tips!

  • Always work down the page, with the equals sign in the middle
  • Show each stage of your calculation
  • Learn to read right to left … sometimes it’s easier to keep the value of x on the right hand side of an equation
  • Think about factorising, so you can simplify the equation
  • Try to keep a positive value of x
  • Is your answer reasonable?

Simplify algebraic fractions questions appear in all the main examination boards, including Edexcel, AQA and OCR. They are popular and, once you have the basic principles, fairly similar. Please do stop the video, try the question and compare your solution!

Here’s some additional posts if you would like more detail and practice questions.

If you would like to find out more try these!

Simplify an algebra fraction using factorising

Expand brackets and simplify mid-level GCSE maths algebra

Here’s a playlist with some more examples

 

Please do leave a comment below if you are not sure. Alternately you can view my YouTube channel and leave a comment there – I’ll always try to respond as quickly as possible.

Watch this video on YouTube

Watch the video on YouTube – Simplifying Algebraic Fractions

Comments

  1. live auto says

    July 7, 2015 at 7:14 pm

    hi simon it would be happy if u come up with basics algerba .in ur way
    (happy smiling)

    Reply
  2. Pravina Solanki says

    June 21, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    great help cheers

    Reply
  3. Nanaesly Neon says

    June 9, 2015 at 8:22 pm

    What if you have p-square minus 4 all over p-square?

    Reply
  4. Faith Forever says

    June 3, 2015 at 8:08 pm

    Thanks this video is brillliant! 🙂 I have an exam tommorow!!

    Reply
  5. Grant Page says

    June 2, 2015 at 2:27 pm

    Have you got any complicated examples of factorising?

    Reply
  6. Sharif Sircar says

    May 16, 2015 at 1:07 pm

    Thanks

    Reply
  7. Alejandro Navarro says

    May 10, 2015 at 6:04 pm

    thanks, that was very useful!, textbooks can’t explain it good enough.
    Thanks again!

    Reply
  8. bedoor abdulla says

    May 9, 2015 at 7:18 pm

    Man you just saved my life.

    Reply
  9. Karen B says

    May 8, 2015 at 6:26 am

    THANK YOU

    Reply
  10. Ben Slater says

    April 27, 2015 at 7:08 pm

    Thanks really helpful

    Reply
  11. Martyn Smalskys says

    April 19, 2015 at 5:47 pm

    I understand the way to simplify algebraic fractions a bit more now

    Reply
  12. marshall anderson says

    February 18, 2015 at 5:06 pm

    very good

    Reply
  13. Chima Amobi says

    January 29, 2015 at 6:35 pm

    hey Simon what you taught (cancelling algebraic fractions) does it apply
    even if the plus and minus symbols are arranged PS thanks for the video it
    helped 😉

    Reply
  14. Phoenix Feathers says

    January 25, 2015 at 10:25 pm

    GCSEs this year, just done my mocks and this is one of the topics I messed
    up on. Thanks for the help!

    Reply
  15. Trout Fishing Wales says

    January 5, 2015 at 1:57 pm

    Thankyou

    Reply
  16. Morshada Bagum says

    January 1, 2015 at 8:06 pm

    Kinda easy with you

    Reply
  17. Abdullah A says

    December 31, 2014 at 6:49 am

    Tis all good, but can you do Advanced?

    Reply
  18. James Topp says

    November 17, 2014 at 6:36 pm

    oh and yes your 3 minute videos are great!

    Reply
  19. James Topp says

    November 17, 2014 at 6:35 pm

    thank you this video has helped so much my maths exam is in 4 hours and
    this is about all i know ahah youve made it really easy to learn!! 🙂

    Reply
  20. chriser555 says

    November 17, 2014 at 5:30 pm

    I’m lost, no link in the description as stated.

    Reply
  21. purplekawaiilove says

    October 23, 2014 at 12:01 am

    Maths exam tomorrow 🙁 this was so helpful, thanks 🙂

    Reply
  22. hany nawaseb says

    July 6, 2014 at 8:55 pm

    Smart

    Reply
  23. MrKidReactionz says

    April 13, 2014 at 12:43 pm

    could you please explain why you do not divide (x-5) and (x+2) by x-5 like
    you did to cancel out the others because i thought you would have to divide
    all the numbers by x-5

    apart from this minor confusion thanks a lot because it really helped
    (subscribed)

    Reply
  24. SJGSpook says

    March 23, 2014 at 6:48 pm

    Best explanation I have seen. Thanks.

    Reply
  25. WatsonisawesomeMC says

    February 20, 2014 at 6:03 pm

    Came across EXACTLY the same question in my maths exam with exactly the
    same digits…

    Reply
  26. matthew bacon says

    January 12, 2014 at 9:38 pm

    thx

    Reply
  27. Simon Deacon says

    October 9, 2013 at 11:12 pm

    No prob and glad to help 🙂

    Reply
  28. reubz poo says

    October 9, 2013 at 7:31 pm

    nice one mate

    Reply
  29. Simon Deacon says

    September 28, 2013 at 1:35 pm

    Hi – there’s a couple of videos on the channel. Try How to factorise
    algebra formulas – foundation level, How to factorise algebra formulas –
    cross method or How to factorise algebra formulas – higher GCSE cross
    method. I hope they help and thanks for your comment. All best S

    Reply
  30. ToniKristian15 says

    September 27, 2013 at 11:01 pm

    i wanna know how the steps to factorize a problem…Thank you..

    Reply
  31. warren marodza says

    September 15, 2013 at 1:14 pm

    good video its jus tht rembering all the methods to math problems can be
    stressful how do yu do it…

    Reply
  32. Simon Deacon says

    September 13, 2013 at 5:28 pm

    Hi – that’s great and glad it helped 🙂

    Reply
  33. SamOwenNewton says

    September 13, 2013 at 5:08 pm

    Really helps, thanks!

    Reply

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