Practice Simplification in Math

Use these practice problems to test your method after reviewing the concept explanation and worked examples.

Quick Recap

The process of replacing a complex expression or model with a simpler equivalent that preserves the essential features.

The art of knowing what to throw away. Good simplification keeps the behavior that matters while discarding noise.

Showing a random 20 of 50 problems.

Example 1

easy
Simplify 5x+3xโˆ’2x5x + 3x - 2x.

Example 2

medium
Simplify x2โˆ’4xโˆ’2\dfrac{x^2 - 4}{x - 2} and state any domain restriction.

Example 3

medium
Simplify the set expression (AโˆชB)โˆฉ(AโˆชBโ€ฒ)(A \cup B) \cap (A \cup B') and justify each step.

Example 4

medium
Simplify (x+1)(xโˆ’2)(xโˆ’2)(x+3)\dfrac{(x+1)(x-2)}{(x-2)(x+3)} and state restrictions.

Example 5

easy
Simplify 48\frac{4}{8} to lowest terms.

Example 6

easy
Simplify: ยฌ(ยฌp)\neg(\neg p).

Example 7

hard
Simplify โˆ‘k=1n(1k+1โˆ’1k+2)\sum_{k=1}^{n}\left(\dfrac{1}{k+1}-\dfrac{1}{k+2}\right).

Example 8

challenge
A model has f(x)=1+2x+0.001x2f(x) = 1 + 2x + 0.001x^2. For โˆฃxโˆฃโ‰ค1|x| \le 1, justify the first-order simplification f(x)โ‰ˆ1+2xf(x) \approx 1 + 2x and bound the discarded error.

Example 9

challenge
Simplify โˆ‘k=1n(1kโˆ’1k+1)\sum_{k=1}^{n}\left(\frac{1}{k}-\frac{1}{k+1}\right) using telescoping, and state the closed form.

Example 10

medium
Simplify x2+2xx\frac{x^2+2x}{x} and state the restriction.

Example 11

medium
Simplify 2x2+6x4x\dfrac{2x^2 + 6x}{4x} and state any restriction.

Example 12

medium
Simplify ยฌ(pโˆจq)\neg(p \lor q) using De Morgan's law.

Example 13

medium
Simplify 1x+1+1xโˆ’1\dfrac{1}{x+1} + \dfrac{1}{x-1} into a single fraction.

Example 14

easy
Simplify x+x+xx + x + x.

Example 15

medium
To estimate 101\sqrt{101}, a student uses the linear approximation around 100=10\sqrt{100}=10. What simplification is being made, and what is the estimate?

Example 16

medium
A long polynomial 3x2+0xโˆ’0+2x23x^2 + 0x - 0 + 2x^2 is given. Simplify and explain what makes this 'cleaner'.

Example 17

easy
Simplify AโˆชAA \cup A.

Example 18

hard
Simplify logโกbโ€‰โฃ(b5x2x)\log_b\!\left(\dfrac{b^5 x^2}{x}\right) for x>0x>0.

Example 19

medium
Simplify a2bab2\dfrac{a^2 b}{ab^2} for a,bโ‰ 0a,b\ne 0.

Example 20

challenge
A model has terms of orders 11, ฯต\epsilon, and ฯต2\epsilon^2 with ฯต=0.001\epsilon = 0.001. Justify which terms to keep for a first-order simplification and what error you incur.