Expert: Richard J. Raridon - 12/15/2005

Question
2x/x^-16  -  3/x^+8x+16



^=square
/=over

Answer
You can write it 2x/(x^2-16) -3/(x^2+8x+16)
You need the parentheses because otherwise it could be interpreted as (2x/x^2) -16, etc.  
so you have
2x/[(x+4)(x-4)] -3/[(x+4)(x+4)]
which equals [2x(x+4)-3(x-4)]/[(x-4)(x+4)(x+4)]
= (2x^2+5x+12)/[(x-4)(x+4)(x+4)]