Solution - Reducing fractions to their lowest terms

Step  1  :

            1
 Simplify   —
            3

Equation at the end of step  1  :

           1
  (x2) +  (— • x)
           3
 Step  2  :

Rewriting the whole as an Equivalent Fraction :

 2.1   Adding a fraction to a whole

Rewrite the whole as a fraction using  3  as the denominator :

           x2     x2 • 3
     x2 =  ——  =  ——————
           1        3   

Equivalent fraction : The fraction thus generated looks different but has the same value as the whole

Common denominator : The equivalent fraction and the other fraction involved in the calculation share the same denominator

Adding fractions that have a common denominator :

 2.2       Adding up the two equivalent fractions
Add the two equivalent fractions which now have a common denominator

Combine the numerators together, put the sum or difference over the common denominator then reduce to lowest terms if possible:

 x2 • 3 + x     3x2 + x
 ——————————  =  ———————
     3             3   

Step  3  :

Pulling out like terms :

 3.1     Pull out like factors :

   3x² + x  =   x • (3x + 1) 

Final result :

  x • (3x + 1)
  ————————————
       3