CHAPTER 4

4.2 ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS

Important Concepts
 Definition : An Algebraic Fraction is a fraction with algebraic expressions as its numerator
or/ and denominator.

1 x3 pq
 Examples : , , are algebraic fractions.
4m 2x 2q
 Skill assessed :
Addition and subtraction of algebraic fractions. (Subtraction is more popular in the SPM)
Simplify algebraic fractions.

 Usual format of questions:

Express ………………… as a single fraction in its lowest term.

 Example:
1 q6
Express  as a fraction in its lowest term.
2q 6q 2

 Solutions:
(1) ( q  6) (1)  3q ( q  6) L.C.M is 6q2
 = 
2q 6q 2 2q  3q 6q 2

3q  ( q  6)
=
6q 2

3q  q  6
=
6q 2

2q  6
= 6q 2

2(q  3) q3
= =
6q 2 3q 2

 Solving Strategy:
 Insert brackets on both the numerators.
 Find the L.C.M for the denominators.
 the numerator and denominator with the same expression.
 Simplify the two numerators by expansion(multiply by the expression)
 Add or subtract the algebraic expressions.
 Express your answer as a single fraction.
 Simplify to its lowest term.

 Common Mistakes:
 Students did not change the sign of numerator during the process of subtraction of the
Fraction.
 Students did not express the answer as a single fraction.
 Students did not simplify their answer so that it is in its lowest term.

Expand
Example: Exercise 1 :

Algebraic Fractions 14
 1) 2( m + 1 ) = 2m + 2 1) 3(k + 1) =

2) 2( m – 1 ) = 2m – 1 2) 4 ( k – 1 ) =

3) − 2( m + 1 ) = − 2m − 2 3) − 5 ( k + 1 ) =

4) − 2( m − 1 ) = − 2m + 2 4) − 3 ( k − 1 ) =

5) −(m − 1) = − m + 1 5) −(k − 2) =

6) −(m + 1) = − m − 1 6) −(k +2) =

7) − 2m ( m − 1 ) = − 2m2 + 2m 7) − 3k ( k − 1 ) =

8) − 2m ( m + 1 ) = − 2m2 − 2m 8) − 3k ( k + 1 ) =

9) 2m ( m − 1 ) = 2m2 − 2m 9) 3k ( k − 1 ) =

10) 2m ( m + 1 ) = 2m2 + 2m 10) 3k ( k + 1 ) =

11) 4 ( m – 3 ) = 4m − 12 11) 5( k − 2 ) =

12) − 4 ( m − 2 ) = − 4m + 8 12) − 3 ( k − 4) =

13) -4( m + 2 ) = − 4m − 2 13) − 3 ( k + 2 ) =

14) 4m ( m − 3 ) = 4m2 − 12m 14) 2k ( k – 5 ) =

15) − 4 m ( m – n ) = − 4m2 + 4mn 15) −5 k ( k − w ) =

16) − 4 m ( m + n ) = − 4m2 − 4m n 16) − 5 k ( k + w ) =

17) 5m ( m + n ) = 5m2 + 5mn 17) 3k ( k + w ) =

18) − 5n ( m − n ) = −5mn + 5n2 18) −3w ( k − w ) =

Expand
Exercise 2: Exercise 3:

1) 5( x + 1) = 1) 3(p + 1) =
Algebraic Fractions 15
 2) 5(x–1) = 2) 7 ( p – 1 ) =

3) - 5 ( x + 1 ) = 3) - 7 (p + 1 ) =

4) -5(x - 1) = 4) -7(p - 1) =

5) -(x- 2) = 5) -(p - 2) =

6) -(x +2) = 6) -(p +2) =

7) - 5x (x - 1 ) = 7) - 4p ( p - 1 ) =

8) - 5x ( x + 1 ) = 8) - 6p ( p + 1 ) =

9) 5x ( x - 1 ) = 9) 8p ( p - 1 ) =

10) 5x( x + 1 ) = 10) 9p ( p + 1 ) =

11) 5x ( x + y ) = 11) 4p ( p + q ) =

12) - 5x ( x - y ) = 12) - 9q ( p - q ) =

13) 3x ( x - 2y ) = 13) 3p ( p - 2q ) =

14) - 3x ( x - 2y) = 14) - 3p ( p - 2q) =

15) 2y ( 3y - 1 ) = 15) 2q ( 3q - 1 ) =

16) 4x ( x + 2y ) = 16) 4p ( p + 2q ) =

17) - 4x ( 2x + y ) = 17) - 4p ( 2p + q ) =

18) - 2y ( 5y - 3 ) = 18) - 2q ( 5q - 3 ) =

Simplify
Example Exercise 4

Algebraic Fractions 16
1) 8m- ( 2m -1) = 8m – 2m + 1 1) 7m- ( 3m -2)

= 6m - 1

2) 2x - (4 – x) = 2x - 4 + x 2) 4x - (3 – x)

= 3x - 4

3) 8m2 - ( 3m2 - 4) = 8m2 - 3m2 + 4 3) 7m2 - ( m2 - 3)

= 5m2 + 4

4) 5mn - ( 3mn - 5) = 5mn – 3mn + 5 4) 6mn - ( 2mn - 1)

= 2mn + 5

5) 6e2 - ( 7 - 2e2 ) = 6e2 – 7 + 2e2 5) 5e2 - ( 3 - e2 )

= 8e2 - 7

6) 2g2 - (g2 - g + 2) = 2 g2 - g2 + g – 2 6) 7g2 - (2g2 - 3g + 1) =

= g2 + g - 2

7) 5rs - 2( rs -r + 1) = 5rs -2rs + 2r – 2 7) 8rs - 3( rs - 2r + 1)

= 3rs + 2r - 2

8) 4x – ( x – y ) = 4x − x + y 8) 3h - ( 2h - k) =

= 3x + y

9) 6( y – x ) - y ( 4 - x ) = 6y −6x − 4y + xy 9) 5( m - n ) – n (3 - m) =

Algebraic Fractions 17
Exercise 5 Exercise 6

1) 6m - ( m - 3 ) = 1) 9m- ( 2m - 4 ) =

2) 5x - ( 2 – 2x) = 2) 10x - (4 – x) =

3) 9m2 - ( m2 - 5) = 3) 7m2 - ( 4m2 - 2) =

4) 4mn - ( 2mn - 4) = 4) 5mn - ( 2mn - 3) =

5) 8e2 - ( 2 - 3e2 ) = 5) 5e2 - ( 2 - e2 ) =

6) 7g + 4 - 2( 1 - 3g ) = 6) 6m + 3 - 2( m - 3 ) =

7) 2 (3n) - ( 4 - n ) = 7) 2( 4w ) – ( 4 – w ) =

8) p + 3 - 3( 2 - p ) = 8) q + 3 – 2 ( 3 – q ) =

9) 3( m + 4) - 4 ( 1 – 3m ) = 9) 2 ( g + 3 ) – ( 1 – 2g ) =

Algebraic Fractions 18
Simplify
Example Exercise 7

2m  4 2( m  2) 2p4
1) = = m-2 1) =
2 2 2

4m  2 2( 2m  1) 4p2
2) = = 2m - 1 2) =
2 2 2

4mn  2m 2m( 2n  1) 4 pq  2 p
3) = = 2n - 1 3) 2p
=
2m 2m

4m 2  2m 2m ( 2m  1) 4p2 2p
4) = = 2m - 1 4) =
2m 2m 2p

m 2  2m m ( m  2) p2  2 p
5) = = m - 2 5) =
m m p

mn mn pq

6) = 6) 3 p  3q =
3m  3n 3( m  n)
1
=
3

6m  8n 2(3m  4n) 3m  4n 6 p  8q
7)   7) 
12 12 6 12

6m  12n 3( 2m  4n) 2m  4n 6 p  12q


8)   8)
24m 24m 8m 24 p

m 2 n2 (m  n)( m  n) p2  q2
9) = 9) =
2( m  n) 2( m  n) 2( p  q )
mn
=
2

Exercise 8 Exercise 9
Algebraic Fractions 19
 3m  6 2q  4
1) = 1) =
3 2

4m 2  2 m 6x  12 y
2) = 2) =
2m 12

4hn  2h 4kq  2k
3) = 3) =
2h 2k

4 n 2  6n 4q 2  2q
4) = 4) =
2n 2q

h 2  2h 4n 2  2n
5) = 5) =
h n

rs t u
6) = 6) =
3r  3s 3t  3u

6 g  8h 7 w  14v
7)  7) 
12 21

4 p  8q 3s  12t
8)  8) 
24 p 9t

k 2 n2 4k 2  1
9) = 9) =
2( k  n ) 2( k  1)

Subtraction
Example
Exercise 11

Algebraic Fractions 20
 a c ad  bc x e
1)  = 1)  =
b d bd y f

a ce ad  b(c  e) n ts

2)  = 2)  =
b d bd b m

3 p 3n  4mp 3 k
3)  = 3)  =
4m n 4mn 4x n

3 pq 3  4m( p  q ) 3 rs

4)  = 4) 
4m n 4mn 2w t

1 3a  1 2a  (3a 1) 1 3b  1
5)  = 5) 
4a 8a 2
8a 2 2b 8b 2

k 3 2k k  3  3(2  k ) y3 2 y


6)  = 6) =
3k k 3k 3y y

p 1 p p  3(1  p ) r 1 r
7)  = 7)  =
3n n 3n 3n n

1 4 a 3a  ( 4  a) 1 4x
8)   8)  
3a 9a 2 9a 2 3x 9 x 2

x 1 x 2 x  (1  x ) h 1 h
9)   9) g  2 g 
y 2y 2y

2 1 t 4 s  (1  t )
10)  2
 3 1 m
s 2s 2s 2 10)  
m 2m 2

Exercise 12 Exercise 13

1 2 2 1
1)  = 1)  =
b d n m

Algebraic Fractions 21
 2 3e 3 4e
2)  = 2)  =
b d h d

2 4 5 6
3)  = 3)  =
5m n 3m n

4 p3 6 8q
4)  = 4) 
5m n 5m n

1 3d  1 1 3h  1
5)  = 5) 
4d 8d 2 4h 8h 2

q3 2q m3 2t

6)  = 6)  =
3q q 3g 4

2m m  2 p 1 p
7)  7) 3 f  f
3n n

3 1  2a 2 1  2b
8)   8)  
2a 4a 2 b 4b 2

2r 2r p 5 p
9)   9) q  7q

s 3s

3 1 t 4 1 s
10)   10)  
t 2t 2 s 2s 2

Exercise 14

k 3 2k k  3  3(2  k ) m3 2m

1)  = 1)  =
3k k 3k 3m m

Algebraic Fractions 22
 k  3  6  3k
=
3k

k  3k  6  3
=
3k

4k  3
=
3k

p 1 p 1 2n  1
2)  = 3)  =
3n n 4n 8n 2

3( p  1) 6  n 4( n  1) 8  m
4)  = 5)  =
3np n mn 2m

1 6e 1 8 s
6)  = 7) )  =
3n 15ne 2r 14rs

Algebraic Fractions 23
 3 n5 1 m3
8)   9)  
5n 10n 2 4m 8m 2

3 7n
10)  
5n 25n 2

Questions based on the examination format

Express …………. as a single fraction in its simplest form.

4 1 1
1.  2. 3 x 
mn m 5x

Algebraic Fractions 24
 3m  n 3m  n 3x 2  5 x 15 x 2  1
A C A C
m2  n2 m 2  mn x 5x
3m  n 3m  n 3x  1
2
15 x 2  5
B D B D
m 2  mn m 2  mn 5x 5x

2 4t p 1 p
3.  4. 
3t 9t 2 3m m

5t  4 5t  4 pm  3m  p 4p 3
A C A C
9t 2 9t 2 3m 2 3m
t 2 t2 pm  3m  p  2p 3
B D B D
9t 2 9t 2 3m 2 3m

3 7 y 6d 2e  d
5.  6. 
5y 25 y 2 3d de

16 y  7 y4 e3
A C A C
25 y 2 25 y 2 3e
14 y  7 y4 12e  de  3d
B D 3de
25 y 2 25 y 2
e3 de  6e  3d
B D
3e 3de

2y 1 6 x k k2 1
7.  8. 
xy 3x 3 3k

3  xy 4x  y 2k 2  1 1
A C A C
3 xy 3 xy 3k
3k
1 x 3  xy
B D 1  2k 2 1
3 xy 3 xy B D 
3k 3k

1 2x  1 6 6  3m
9.  10. 
x 6x m2 m ( m  2)

7  2x 5 x 3m 2
A C A C
6x 3x m2 m

5  2x 7x 3 3
B D B D
6x 3x m2 m

1 2h  1 2 2w
11.  12.  .
5h 10h 2 3w 5w 2

1 1 13w  6 7w  2
A C  A C
10h 2 10h 15w 2 15w 2

Algebraic Fractions 25
 1 h 1 9 8
B D B D
5h 5h 2 15w 15w

1 6 y m 1 3  4e
13.  14. 
3x 15 xy 4me 12e

2( y  3) 2( y  1) 3  4me 1  me
A C A C
15 xy 5 xy 12me me

y 1 2y 1 3  4me 1  me
B D B D
15 xy 5 xy 12me me

5 4k  5 9 y
15.  16. 
k 5 k (k  5) y ( y  3) y3

1 4k 9  y2 3 y
A C A C
k k 5 y ( y  3) y

5 k 5 9 y 3 y
B D B D
k k (k  5) y3 y

x5 2 x 2 4n  1
17.  18. 
5x x 3n 9n 2

2 x  10  4 x  10 1  2n 2n  1
A C A C
5x 5x 9n 2 9n 2
6x  5 6x  5 2n  1 6n  1
B D B D
5x 5x 9n 2 9n 2

1 p6 m3 2m

19.  20. 
2p 6 p2 3m m
1 p3
A C  2m  9 2m  9
p 3p2 A C
3m 3m
p3 2 p 1
B D 4m  9 4m  3
3p2 p2 B D
3m m

Past Year SPM Questions

Express …………. as a single fraction in its simplest form.

November 2003 Jun 2004

h3 2h m  4 2(1  3m)

 2. 
1. 3h h 2 3

 2h  3 2h  3
A C
3h 3h
Algebraic Fractions 26
 2  5m 15m  8
2h  1 4h  3
A C
6 6
B D
3h 3h
7m  2 8  9m
B D
6 6
November 2004 Jun 2005

2 4n 7 m4
3.  4. 
3n 9n 2 12m 4m 2

7n  4 n2 m 1 m3
A. C A C
9n 2 9n 2 3m 2 3m 2

5n  4 n2 m3 m 3
B. D B. D
9n 2 9n 2 3m 2 3m 2

November 2005 July 2006

p 1 p m 1 m
5.  6. 
3m m n 2n

pm  3m  p 4p 3 1 m 1
A C A C
3m 2 3m 2n 2n 2

pm  3m  p  2p 3 nm 1
B D B D
3m 2 3m 2n 3n

November 2006 November 2007

p3 p 2
Simplify  3n  mn  
m
7.
2
8. Express  as a single fraction
n  m  3n 
2
p2 p
m m2 in its simplest form.
A. C.
n n2
 3  p  p2  3  p  p2
m 3m 2 A. C.
B. 2 D. p p2
n 4n
 3  p  p2  3  p  p2
B. D.
p2 p2

Jun 2007 Jun 2008

n2 n3 p3 p2
9. Express  as a single fraction in its 10. Express  as a single fraction
m mn p2 2p
simplest form. in its simplest form.

n2  n 1 n2  n  1  p2  3  p2  2 p  3
A. C. A. C.
mn mn p2 p2

Algebraic Fractions 27
 n2  n  3 n2  n  3  p2  6  p2  4 p  6
B. D. B. D.
mn mn 2 p2 2 p2

November 2008
h  3 2(5  h)
11. Express  as a single fraction in its simplest form.
h h2

h 2  h  10 h 2  2h  13
A. C.
h2 h2

h 2  2h  10 h 2  2h  13
B. D.
h2 h2

Algebraic Fractions 28
 ANSWERS
4.2 Algebraic fractions
Exercise 1
1. 3k + 3 2 4k – 4 3. -5k -5 4. -3k + 1
5. -k + 2 6. -k – 2 7. -3k2 + 3k 8. -3k2 - 3k
9. 3k2 - 3k 10. 3k2 + 3k 11. 5k – 10 12. -3k + 12
13. -3k – 6 14. 2k2 – 10k 15. -5k2 + 5kw 16. -5k2 - 5kw
17. 3k2 + 3kw 18. -3kw + 3w2

Exercise 2
1. 5x + 5 2 5x - 5 3. -5x - 5 4. -5x + 5
5. -x + 2 6. -x - 2 7. -5x2 + 5x 8. -5x2 - 5x
9. 5x2 - 5x 10. 5x2 + 5x 11. 5x2 + 5xy 12. -5x2 + 5xy
13. 3x2 – 6xy 14. -3x2 + 6xy 15. 6y2 – 2y 16. 4x2 + 8xy
17. -4x2 - 8xy 18. -10y2 + 6y

Exercise 3
1. 3p + 3 2 7p – 7 3. -7p – 7 4. -7p + 7
5. -p + 2 6. -p – 2 7. -4p2 - 4p 8. -6p2 – 6p
9. 8p2 – 8p 10. 9p2 + 9p 11. 4p2 + 4pq 12. -9pq + 9q2
13. 3p2 – 6pq 14. -3p2 + 6pq 15. 6q2 – 2q 16. 4p2 + 8pq
17. -8p2 – 4pq 18. -10q2 + 6

Exercise 4
1. 4m + 2 2 5x – 3 3. 6m2 + 3 4. 4mn + 1
5. 6e2 -3 6. 5g2 + 3g – 1 7. 5rs + 6r – 3 8. h+k
9. 5m – 8n +
mn

Exercise 5
1. 5m + 3 2 7x – 2 3. 8m2 + 5 4. 2 mn + 4
5. 11e2 - 2 6. 13g + 2 7. 7n – 4 8. 4p - 3
9. 15m + 8

Exercise 6
1. 7m + 4 2 11x – 4 3. 3m2 + 2 4. 3 mn + 3
5. 4e2 - 2 6. 4m + 6 7. 9w – 4 8. 3q – 3
9. 4g + 5

Exercise 7
1. p-2 2 2p – 1 3. 2q – 1 4. 2p – 1
5. p–2 6. 1 7. 3 p  4q 8. p  2q
3 6 4p
9. pq
2

Exercise 8
Algebraic Fractions 29
 1. m-2 2 2m + 1 3. 2n – 1 4. 2n – 3
5. h-2 6. 7. 3 g  4h 8. p  2q
1
6 6
3
9. k n
2

Exercise 9
1. q-2 2 x  2y 3. 2q – 1 4. 2q – 1
2
5. 4n – 2 6. 1 7. w  2v 8. s  4t
3 3 3t
9. 2(k – 1)

Exercise 10
1. xf  ey 2 mn  b(t  s ) 3. 3n  4 xk 4. 3  2w(r  s )
yf bm 4 xn 2wt
5. 4b  (3b  1) 6. y  3  3(2  y ) 7. r  3(1  r ) 8. 3x  (4  x)
8b 2 3y 3n 9x 2
9. 2h  (1  h) 10. 6m  (1  m)
2g 2m 2

Exercise 11
1. d  2b 2 2  b(3  e) 3. 2n  4(5m) 4. 4n  5m( p  3)
bd bd 5mn 5mn
5. 2d  (3d  1) 6. q  3  3(2  q ) 7. 2m  3(m  2) 8. 6a  (1  2a )
8d 2 3q 3n 4a 2
9. 6r  ( 2  r ) 10. 6t  (1  t )
3s 2t 2

Exercise 12
1. 2m  n 2 3d  h(4  e) 3. 5n  6(3m) 4. 6n  n(8  q )
mn hd 3mn 5mn
5. 2h  (3h  1) 6. 4( m  3)  3g ( 2  t ) 7. p  3(1  p ) 8. 8b  (1  2b)
8h 2 12 g 3f 4b 2
9. 7 p  (5  p ) 10. 8s  (1  s )
7q 2s 2

Exercise 13
1. 4m  3 2 4p 3 3. 2n  1 4.  15 p  3n  3
3m 3n 8n 2 2np
5. 8  mn 6. 2(e  1) 7. 4( s  1) 8. n 1
2mn 5ne 7 rs 2n 2
9. m3 10. 16n  7
8m 2 25n 2

Questions based on examination format

Algebraic Fractions 30
 4m  3 4p 3 1 4.
1. 2. 3. ` 2 3np  15 p  3
3m 3n 8n
3np
8  nm 2e  2 4s  4 5n  5
5. 6. 7. 8.
2mn 5ne 7 rs 10n 2
m3
9. 16n  7
8m 2 10.
25n 2

Questions According to Examination Format

1. B 6. A 11. A 16. C
2. C 7. D 12. A 17. D
3. C 8. C 13. C 18. B
4. C 9. A 14. B 19. B
5. A 10. D 15. A 20. B

SPM PAST YEAR QUESTIONS

1. D 2. C 3. A 4. C 5. C 6. A 7. A
8. B 9. D 10. B 11. A

Algebraic Fractions 31