BMAT Past Paper 2013 S2 Q8 Help

Hi can anyone please help me with the BMAT past paper for 2013 section 2 question 8? It's about rearranging a formula and I'm kind of struggling! (have got mixed up with the + and - signs)

Just wanted to also ask would (4x+1)/2x be the same as (4x/2x + 1/2x) I think it is but not sure..!

Many thanks for your help!

Hi! For some reason I can't seem to get my head around this question. If you factorise the top, x^2(1-4x)(1+4x) its different to the bottom 2x^3(4x-1) so how does this simplify?


Thanks

Hi I think I worked it out. Multiply the fraction by -1 so it's x^2(16x^2-1)/2x^3(4x-1) [this makes the overall fraction positive as in the question it's 4 minus the fraction originally.

This is simplified to (16x^2-1)/2x(4x-1) which equals (4x+1)(4x-1)/2x(4x-1) and so the (4x-1) cancels out to (4x+1)/2x which equals 4x/2x + 1/2x.

As 4x/2x is 2 then to factor it into the original equation [remembering we turned the fraction positive] it's 4 + 2 + 1/2x which is 6 + 1/2x so the answer is F. Hope this helps!