Expert: Richard J. Raridon - 12/1/2010

Question
QUESTION: if you have a problem like m squared plus m plus 6 over m to
the third minus 3m minus 2, can you cancel the m's and can you
subtract the numbers from each other? or do you have to leave
it as is?

ANSWER: I assume you have (m^2+m+6)/(m^3-3m-2).
You have to leave it like it is.  You can factor the denominator but that doesn't help you.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok so if I understand correctly I wouldn't be able to reduce down to
3m+4 over -m by cancelling out things right?

Answer
You can only cancel like terms and you don't have any here. You have one term on the top and one term on the bottom.

Thank you for your kind remarks.  I've answered over a thousand questions and most of the time I don't get a rating or any comments.  I do it for the fun of it so it only bothers me when someone gives me a low rating that I don't feel I deserve.  I'm retired but I don't have unlimited time so questions don't always get a prompt answer.