Lesson 4

Lesson 4: Solving Rational Equations

Focus

Many reality television shows are based on competition between individuals or teams of people. Contestants compete in challenges for the right to remain in the game. Challenges may involve navigating an obstacle course, solving a puzzle, finding a hidden object, or any combination of these or other tasks.

In a way, solving equations in mathematics is similar to these tasks. When solving equations you often have to navigate through several steps in order to find the unknown variable, or the “hidden object.”

In this lesson you will learn to solve rational equations. You will learn basic principles that will help you tackle a wide variety of problems.

Outcomes

At the end of this lesson you will be able to

• determine the non-permissible values for the variable in a rational equation
  
  
• determine the solution to a rational equation algebraically, and explain the process used to solve the equation
  
  
• explain why a value obtained in solving a rational equation may not be a solution of the equation

Lesson Questions

You will investigate the following questions:

• What principles are common to the strategies for solving rational equations and how are these principles helpful?
  
  
• Why are some values of the variable obtained in solving rational equations not roots of the equations?

Assessment

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

• completion of the Lesson 4 Assignment (Download the Lesson 4 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