Re: Checking simplified algebraic expressions (the -3 test)

On May 15, 1:17=A0am, Bill Dubuque <w...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> Pubkeybreaker <pubkeybrea...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> >On May 3, 8:57=A0pm, "michalc...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
" <michalc...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> >> I tutor a lot of algebra and as you know there are three basic types
> >> of problems that algebra students are given. [...]
>
> >> Example "Simplify (x^2-1)/(x+1)" this becomes "x-1".
>
> > Which, of course, is just wrong. =A0If =A0x=3D-1, =A0then the quotient
i=
s
> > undefined, > but the simplification equals -2. =A0The correct answer
> > must state this exception.
>
> No, (x^2-1)/(x+1) =3D x-1 =A0is correct if the expressions denote
> polynomials, which is quite frequently the case in "algebra".

What have you been smoking?  You seem to be reading things that
are not there.  I see no specification in the original problem that
says
"if the expressions are polynomials".   All I read was

 "Simplify (x^2-1)/(x+1)"

And this expression does NOT equal x-1  everywhere.