SOLVING

RATIONAL
EQUATIONS
To solve rational equations:
a)Identify the Least Common
Denominator (LCD).
b)Multiply both sides of the
equation by the LCD.
c)Apply the Distributive Property
and then simplify.
d) Find all the possible
values of x.
e) Check each value by
substituting into original
equation and reject any
extraneous root/s.
Extraneous Solution – is a
value of 𝒙 that makes the
obtained equation true but
makes the original equation
false.
EXAMPLES
 𝟓𝒙 𝟏 𝟏
Example 1: − =
𝟔 𝟐 𝟑
a)Identify the Least Common Denominator
(LCD).

𝟓𝒙 𝟏 𝟏
− =
𝟔 𝟐 𝟑
𝟔
b) Multiply both sides of the
equation by the LCD.
𝟓𝒙 𝟏 𝟏
− = (𝟔)
𝟔 𝟐 𝟑
𝟓𝒙 −𝟑 = 𝟐
c)Find all the possible values of 𝒙.
𝟓𝒙 − 𝟑 = 𝟐
𝟓𝒙 = 𝟐 + 𝟑
𝟓𝒙 = 𝟓
𝒙=𝟏
d) Check each value by substituting into original
equation and reject any extraneous root/s.
5(1) 1 1 2 1
If 𝑥 = 1 and 6 − 2 = 3 =
𝟓𝒙 𝟏 𝟏 6 3
− = , 5 1 1
𝟔 𝟐 𝟑 1 1
then, − =
6 2 3 =
5−3 1 3 3
= True
6 3 Statement
Hence, 𝒙 = 𝟏 is the
𝟓𝒙 𝟏 𝟏
solution of − = .
𝟔 𝟐 𝟑
 𝟏𝟓
Example 2: =𝟓
𝒙+𝟐
a)Identify the Least Common Denominator
(LCD).

𝟏𝟓
𝒙+𝟐
=𝟓 𝒙+𝟐
b) Multiply both sides of the
equation by the LCD.
𝟏𝟓
= 𝟓 (𝒙 + 𝟐)
𝒙+𝟐
𝟏𝟓 = 𝟓(𝒙 + 𝟐)
c) Apply the Distributive Property
and then simplify.
15 = 5(𝑥 + 2)
15 = 5𝑥 + 10
d)Find all the possible values of 𝒙.
15 = 5(𝑥 + 2)
15 = 5𝑥 + 10
15 − 10 = 5𝑥
5 = 5𝑥
𝒙=𝟏
d) Check each value by substituting into original
equation and reject any extraneous root/s.
𝟏𝟓
If 𝑥 = 1 and =𝟓
𝟏𝟓 (𝟏) + 𝟐
= 𝟓, 𝟏𝟓
𝒙+𝟐
then, =𝟓
𝟑 True
𝟓=𝟓 Statement
Hence, 𝒙 = 𝟏 is the
𝟏𝟓
solution of = 𝟓.
𝒙+𝟐
 𝟐 𝟑 𝟏
Example 3: − =
𝒙 𝟐𝒙 𝟓
a)Identify the Least Common Denominator
(LCD).

2 3 1
− =
𝑥 2𝑥 5
𝟏𝟎𝒙
b) Multiply both sides of the
equation by the LCD.
2 3 1
− = (10𝑥)
𝑥 2𝑥 5
20 −15 = 2𝑥
c)Find all the possible values of 𝒙.
20 − 15 = 2𝑥
5 = 2𝑥
5 5
=𝑥 𝒙=
2 2
d) Check each value by substituting into original
equation and reject any extraneous root/s.
2 3 1
5 − =
If 𝑥 = 5 5 5
2 2
2 3 1 2 2
and − = , 4 3 1
𝑥 2𝑥 5
then, − =
5 5 5
True 𝟏 𝟏
=
Statement 𝟓 𝟓
 𝟓
Hence, 𝒙 = is the
𝟐
2 3 1
solution of − = .
𝑥 2𝑥 5
 𝒙 𝟏 𝒙
Example 4: +𝟑= 𝟏−
𝟒 𝟐 𝟑
a)Identify the Least Common Denominator
(LCD).

𝒙 𝟏 𝒙
𝟒
+𝟑=
𝟐
𝟏−
𝟑
𝟏𝟐
b) Multiply both sides of the
equation by the LCD.

𝒙 𝟏 𝒙
+𝟑= 𝟏− (𝟏𝟐)
𝟒 𝟐 𝟑
𝑥
3𝑥 +4 = 6(1 − )
3
c) Apply the Distributive Property
and then simplify. 𝑥
3𝑥 + 4 = 6(1 − )
3
3𝑥 + 36 = 6 − 2𝑥
3𝑥 + 2𝑥 = 6 − 36
d)Find all the possible values of 𝒙.
3𝑥 + 2𝑥 = 6 − 36
5𝑥 = 6 − 36
5𝑥 = −30
𝒙 = −𝟔
d) Check each value by substituting into original
equation and reject any extraneous root/s.
(−6) 1 (−6)
If 𝒙 = −𝟔 +3= 1−
and 4 2 3
𝒙 𝟏 𝒙 −6 + 12 1 6
+𝟑= 𝟏− , = +
𝟒 𝟐 𝟑
then, 4 2 6
6 3+6
=
4 6
6 3+6
=
4 6
6 9
=
4 6
𝟑 𝟑 True
=
𝟐 𝟐 Statement
Hence, 𝒙 = −𝟔 is the
solution of
𝑥 1 𝑥
+3= 1− .
4 2 3
 4𝑥−6 7
Example 4: =
2𝑥−3 𝑥+1
The given equation is in
proportion form. Hence, the
product of the extremes 𝟒𝒙 − 𝟔
and 𝒙 + 𝟏 is equal to the product of
the means 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑 and 𝟕.
PROPORTION
a) The product of extremes is
equal to the product of means.
4𝑥 − 6 7
=
2𝑥 − 3 𝑥 + 1
4𝑥 − 6 𝑥 + 1 = (2𝑥 − 3)(7)
c) Apply the Distributive Property
and then simplify.
4𝑥 − 6 𝑥 + 1 = (2𝑥 − 3)(7)
2 +4𝑥 −6𝑥
4𝑥 −6 = 14𝑥 − 21
2
4𝑥 − 2𝑥 − 6 = 14𝑥 − 21
2
4𝑥 − 2𝑥 − 14𝑥 − 6 + 21 = 0
2
4𝑥 − 16𝑥 + 15 = 0
d)Find all the possible values of 𝒙.
2
4𝑥 − 16𝑥 + 15 = 0
(2𝑥 − 3) 2𝑥 − 5 = 0
2𝑥 = 3 2𝑥 = 5
𝟑 𝟓
𝒙= 𝒐𝒓 𝒙=
𝟐 𝟐
d) Check each value by substituting into original
equation and reject any extraneous root/s.
𝟑 4𝑥 − 6 7
If 𝒙 = =
𝟐 2𝑥 − 3 𝑥 + 1
and 3
4𝑥−6 7 4 −6 7
= , 2
2𝑥−3 𝑥+1 =
then, 3 3
2 −3 +1
2 2
 3
4 −6 7
2
=
3 3
2 −3 +1
2 2
12
−6 7
2 =
6 3+2
−3
2 2
12
−6 7
2 =
6 3+2
−3
2 2
6−6 7 𝟎 𝟏𝟒
= =
3−3 5 𝟎 𝟓
2 False
Statement
 𝟑
The value 𝒙 = is not a root
𝟐
of the given equation. Such
kind of value is referred to
as extraneous root.
d) Check each value by substituting into original
equation and reject any extraneous root/s.
𝟓 4𝑥 − 6 7
If 𝒙 = =
𝟐 2𝑥 − 3 𝑥 + 1
and 5
4𝑥−6 7 4 −6 7
= , 2
2𝑥−3 𝑥+1 =
then, 5 5
2 −3 +1
2 2
 5
4 −6 7
2
=
5 5
2 −3 +1
2 2
20
−6 7
2 =
10 5+2
−3
2 2
20
−6 7
2 =
10 5+2
−3
2 2
10 − 6 7 4 14
= =
5−3 7 2 7
2 True
𝟐 = 𝟐 Statement
 𝟓
Hence, 𝒙 = is the
𝟐
only solution of
4𝑥−6 7
= .
2𝑥−3 𝑥+1
 𝒙 𝟏𝟐
Example 5: + =𝒙−𝟐
𝟑 𝒙
a)Identify the Least Common Denominator
(LCD).

𝑥 12
+
3 𝑥
=𝑥−2 𝟑𝒙
b) Multiply both sides of the
equation by the LCD.
𝑥 12
+ = 𝑥 − 2 (3𝑥)
3 𝑥
2 2
𝑥 + 36 = 3𝑥 − 6𝑥
c) Simplify.
2 2
𝑥 + 36 = 3𝑥 − 6𝑥
2
−2𝑥 + 6𝑥 + 36 = 0
−2
2
𝑥 − 3𝑥 − 18 = 0
𝑥+6 𝑥+3 =0
d)Find all the possible values of 𝒙.
𝑥−6 𝑥+3 =0
𝑥−6=0 𝑥+3=0
𝒙=𝟔 𝒐𝒓 𝒙 = −𝟑
d) Check each value by substituting into original
equation and reject any extraneous root/s.
𝑥 12
If 𝑥 = 6 + =𝑥−2
and 3 𝑥
𝒙
+
𝟏𝟐
= 𝒙 − 𝟐,
6 12
𝟑 𝒙 + =6−2
then, 3 6
2+2=4
True
4 = 4 Statement
d) Check each value by substituting into original
equation and reject any extraneous root/s.
𝑥 12
If 𝑥 = −3 + =𝑥−2
and 3 𝑥
𝒙 𝟏𝟐
+ = 𝒙 − 𝟐,
−3 12
𝟑 𝒙 + = −3 − 2
then, 3 −3
−1 − 4 = −5
True
−5 = −5 Statement
Hence, 𝒙 = 𝟔 and
𝒙 = −𝟑 is the solution
𝑥 12
of + = 𝑥 − 2.
3 𝑥