MA10-08 Maths Coming soon

Simplifying and Manipulating Algebraic Fractions

MA10-08

This lesson is coming soon.

Watch now instead: MA11-01 Solving Linear Equations by Balancing

In this lesson

Add, subtract, multiply and divide algebraic fractions by factorising fully first and cancelling only whole common factors.

What it covers

Simplifying a single algebraic fraction by factorising numerator and denominator fully, then cancelling whole common factors only
Adding and subtracting algebraic fractions with different denominators via a common denominator
Multiplying and dividing algebraic fractions, including the flip-to-multiply rule for division

Key words

simplify algebraic fraction add algebraic fractions factorise and cancel

For: AQA GCSE 8300, Edexcel GCSE 1MA1, Eduqas GCSE C300, Edexcel IGCSE 4MA1, OCR GCSE J560, Cambridge IGCSE 0580

On the specification

Board	Spec	Statement
AQA GCSE 8300	A4	Notation, vocabulary and manipulation
Edexcel GCSE 1MA1	A4	Notation, vocabulary and manipulation
Eduqas GCSE C300	HA4	Simplify and manipulate algebraic expressions (including those involving surds and algebraic fractions) by: collecting like terms; multiplying a single term over a bracket; taking out common factors; expanding products of two or more binomials; factorising quadratic expressions of the form x² + bx + c, including the difference of two squares; factorising quadratic expressions of the form ax² + bx + c; completing the square; simplifying expressions involving sums, products and powers, including the laws of indices
Edexcel IGCSE 4MA1	H2.2C	Manipulate algebraic fractions where the numerator and/or the denominator can be numeric, linear or quadratic
OCR GCSE J560	6.01g	Simplify and manipulate algebraic fractions.
Cambridge IGCSE 0580	E2.3	Manipulate algebraic fractions.

For teachers

This GCSE Maths lesson teaches simplifying and manipulating algebraic fractions. By the end, students should be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide algebraic fractions by factorising fully first and cancelling only whole common factors. It works through three worked examples and the mistakes examiners report.