Algebra 2 (1st Edition)

Published by McDougal Littell
ISBN 10: 0618595414
ISBN 13: 978-0-61859-541-9

Chapter 1, Equations and Inequalities - 1.1 Apply Properties of Real Numbers - 1.1 Exercises - Skill Practice - Page 7: 52

Answer

Sometimes true.

Work Step by Step

It's not always true, because when $b=0$ or $c=0$, the division is undefined. Let us see if it is ever true. $LHS=(a\div b)\div c=(a \cdot \displaystyle \frac{1}{b})\div c\qquad $( definition of division) $=(a \cdot \displaystyle \frac{1}{b})\cdot \displaystyle \frac{1}{c}\qquad $( definition of division) $=a \cdot( \displaystyle \frac{1}{b}\cdot \displaystyle \frac{1}{c})\qquad $(associative property of multiplication) $=a\displaystyle \cdot\frac{1}{bc}\qquad $(simplify $\displaystyle \frac{1}{b}\cdot \displaystyle \frac{1}{c}$) $=\displaystyle \frac{a}{bc}$ $ RHS= a\div(b\div c)=a\div(b\cdot \displaystyle \frac{1}{c})\qquad $( definition of division) $=a\div \displaystyle \frac{b}{c}\qquad $(simplify $ b\cdot \displaystyle \frac{1}{c}$) $=a\displaystyle \cdot\frac{1}{\frac{b}{c}}\qquad $(definition of division) $=a\displaystyle \cdot\frac{c}{b}\qquad $(simplify $\displaystyle \frac{1}{\frac{b}{c}}$) $=\displaystyle \frac{ac}{b}\qquad $(simplify) So, RHS =LHS when $\displaystyle \frac{a}{bc}=\frac{ac}{b}$ We see that when $c=\pm 1,b\neq 0$, then LHS=RHS, so the statement is sometimes true. (It is true when $a=0$ as well, $( a$, the numerator, can be zero) but it was enough to find one instance when the statement is valid to conclude that it is sometimes true.)
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