Lesson 3

Lesson 3: Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions

 

Focus

 

In the game of Monopoly, the objective is to acquire and develop real-estate properties in order to build up wealth without going bankrupt. One of the rules of Monopoly is that houses or hotels cannot be constructed on a property unless a player owns all of the properties in the colour group where development is intended. There are different strategies for securing the properties in a particular colour group. For example, the properties can be purchased from the bank or through a real-estate transaction with another player.

 

In this lesson you will learn how to add and subtract rational expressions. Like the rules for Monopoly, you cannot add or subtract rational expressions until a certain condition is met.

 

Do you know what this condition is? You will soon. There are different strategies you can employ to meet the condition, including strategies you have previously learned.

 

Outcomes

 

At the end of this lesson you will be able to

• compare the strategies for adding and subtracting rational expressions to the strategies for adding and subtracting rational numbers

• determine the non-permissible values when adding and subtracting rational expressions

• determine, in simplified form, the sum or difference of rational expressions with the same denominator as well as those in which the denominators are not the same and that may or may not contain common factors

• simplify an expression that involves two or more operations on rational expressions

Lesson Questions

 

You will investigate the following questions:

• How are adding and subtracting rational expressions similar to adding and subtracting rational numbers?

• What patterns can be used to prepare rational expressions for addition or subtraction?

Assessment

Your assessment may be based on a combination of the following tasks:

• completion of the Lesson 3 Assignment (Download the Lesson 3 Assignment and save it in your course folder now.)

• course folder submissions from Try This and Share activities

• additions to Module 6 Glossary Terms and Formula Sheet

• work under Project Connection