286 ALGEBRA. 



alike, that is, both -{- or both — , then the sign of the 

 quotient must be -J- ; but if they be unlike, the sign of 

 the quotient must be — .* 



CASE I. 

 When the divisor and dividend are both simple quaniities. 



RULE, 



1. Place the dividend above a line, and the divisor un- 

 der it, in the form of a vulgar fraction. 



2. Expunge those letters, that are common to the divi- 

 dend and divisor, and divide the coefficients of all the 

 terms by any number, that will divide them without a re- 

 mainder, and the result will be the quotient required. 



* Because the divisor, multiplied by the quotient, must produce 

 tlie dividend. Therefore, 



1. When loth the terms are -f- ; the quotient must be -{-, be- 

 cause -|- in the divisor x -f- in the quotient produces + in the 

 dividend. 



2. When the terms are both — ; the quotient is also -f-, be- 

 cause — in the divisor X + in the quotient produces — in the 

 dividend. 



3. When 



