Detective Work Name______________________

with Complex Fractions

As the resident mathematics detective, your job is to

determine Is there anything wrong with these Complex
Fraction Problems?
Directions: Circle any errors in the problem. Find the correct
solution. BEWARE: one problem is CORRECT!

1.
a2 a 2 16 a 2 16
1
16 16 16 16 a 2 16 a 4 a 2 16 8 a-4
= = = = i =
a 1 a 4 a4 16 8 16 a 4 2

8 2 8 8 8

2.----------------------------------------------------------
3 3
+
2 x = 3 + 3 2 + 4 = 3x + 6 2 x + 4

2+
4 2 x x 2x x
x

3x + 6 2 x + 4 6 x 2 + 24 x + 24
= =
2x x 2x2

3. ---------------------------------------------------------
1 2 b + 2a
+
a b = ab = b + 2a 1 = b + 2a
a a ab a a 2b

4. ---------------------------------------------------------
1 1 + xy
1
+1
xy + 1 xy xy 1 + xy x 1 + xy
= = = =
2+ x 1
1 2x + 1 xy 2 x + 1 y (2 x + 1)
2+
x x

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