Simplify 2/(a^2b)-3/(ab)

$\frac{2}{a^{2} b} - \frac{3}{a b}$

Step 1

To write $- \frac{3}{a b}$ as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by $\frac{a}{a}$ .

$\frac{2}{a^{2} b} - \frac{3}{a b} \cdot \frac{a}{a}$

Step 2

Write each expression with a common denominator of $b a^{2}$ , by multiplying each by an appropriate factor of $1$ .

Multiply $\frac{3}{a b}$ by $\frac{a}{a}$ .

$\frac{2}{a^{2} b} - \frac{3 a}{a b a}$

Raise $a$ to the power of $1$ .

$\frac{2}{a^{2} b} - \frac{3 a}{a^{1} a b}$

Raise $a$ to the power of $1$ .

$\frac{2}{a^{2} b} - \frac{3 a}{a^{1} a^{1} b}$

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

$\frac{2}{a^{2} b} - \frac{3 a}{a^{1 + 1} b}$

Add $1$ and $1$ .

$\frac{2}{a^{2} b} - \frac{3 a}{a^{2} b}$

Step 3

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$\frac{2 - 3 a}{a^{2} b}$