How To: Cancel out in basic algebra

How to Cancel out in basic algebra

This video gives you brief tutorial on simplifying expressions, or canceling out common factors. He starts out by answering the question "What is canceling?" and demonstrates a basic example. You find the greatest common factor between the numerator and denominator, which you then divide both by. This can also be done if you have variables in your fraction. He then shows it can be done the same way if you have binomials in your fractions. However, you must be careful that the denominator does not equal zero, so you might have to place a restriction on your variable. A couple examples later, once you combine this technique with factoring, you'll be an expert in simplifying!