Written out correctly, that would look like this: [tex] \frac{b^2-3b-10}{(b-2)^2} * \frac{b-2}{b-5} [/tex]. The first thing we are going to do is try to factor that quadratic. Anytime you see a second degree polynomial or higher, chances are you are going to be doing something with it that involves factoring. If we factor that we have this: [tex] \frac{(b-5)(b+2)}{(b-2)(b-2)} * \frac{b-2}{b-5} [/tex]. Now we can see more easily what we can cross cancel to simplify. One (b-2) on the bottom left cancels with the (b-2) top right. One (b-5) top left cancels with the (b-5) lower left. What that leaves us with in the end is [tex] \frac{b+2}{b-2} [/tex]. That is as simple as you can get.
