Which of the following is equivalent to the base of the simplified expression?

Study for the SOA Fundamentals of Actuarial Mathematics (FAM) Exam. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions with detailed explanations. Get ready for your future as an actuary!

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is equivalent to the base of the simplified expression?

This tests how to simplify a fraction by combining like terms in the numerator. The numerator x + blah − x cancels the x terms, leaving blah. With the denominator unchanged as (x + blah), the expression reduces to blah/(x + blah). That matches the base of the simplified form. Other forms do not represent the same general expression: x/(x+blah) drops the cancelation that happened in the numerator, and (x+blah)/blah is a different ratio entirely.

This tests how to simplify a fraction by combining like terms in the numerator. The numerator x + blah − x cancels the x terms, leaving blah. With the denominator unchanged as (x + blah), the expression reduces to blah/(x + blah). That matches the base of the simplified form.

Other forms do not represent the same general expression: x/(x+blah) drops the cancelation that happened in the numerator, and (x+blah)/blah is a different ratio entirely.

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