How is doing operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing) with rational expressions similar to or different from doing operations with fractions?
If you know how to do arithmetic with rational numbers you will understand the arithmetic with rational functions! Doing operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing) is very similar. When you are
adding or subtracting they both require a common denominator. When multiplying or dividing it works the same for instance reducing by factoring.
Operations on rational expressions is similar to doing operations on fractions. You have to come up with a common denominator in order to add or subtract. To multiply the numerators and denominators separated. In division you flip the second fraction and multiply. The difference is that rational expressions can have variable letters and powers in them.