Rearrange:
Rearrange the equation by subtracting what is to the right of the equal sign from both sides of the equation :Â
           (a)/(a^2-16)+(2/(a-4))-(2/(a+4))=0Â
Simplify —————
a + 4
Equation at the end of step  1  : a 2 2
(—————————+—————)-——— = 0
((a2)-16) (a-4) a+4
Step  2  : 2
Simplify —————
a - 4
Equation at the end of step  2  : a 2 2
(—————————+———)-——— = 0
((a2)-16) a-4 a+4
Step  3  : a
Simplify ———————
a2 - 16
Trying to factor as a Difference of Squares :
 3.1     Factoring:  a2 - 16Â
Theory : A difference of two perfect squares,  A2 - B2  can be factored into  (A+B) • (A-B)
Proof :  (A+B) • (A-B) =
        A2 - AB + BA - B2 =
        A2 - AB + AB - B2 =Â
         A2 - B2
Note :Â Â AB = BAÂ is the commutative property of multiplication.Â
Note :Â Â -Â ABÂ + ABÂ equals zero and is therefore eliminated from the expression.
Check : 16 is the square of 4
Check :  a2  is the square of  a1Â
Factorization is :       (a + 4)  •  (a - 4)Â
Equation at the end of step  3  : a 2 2
(————————————————— + —————) - ————— = 0
(a + 4) • (a - 4) a - 4 a + 4
Step  4  :Calculating the Least Common Multiple :
 4.1   Find the Least Common MultipleÂ
     The left denominator is :       (a+4) • (a-4)Â
     The right denominator is :       a-4Â
                  Number of times each Algebraic Factor
            appears in the factorization of:    Algebraic   Â
    Factor     LeftÂ
 Denominator  RightÂ
 Denominator  L.C.M = MaxÂ
 {Left,Right}  a+4 101 a-4 111
     Least Common Multiple:Â
      (a+4) • (a-4)Â
Calculating Multipliers :
 4.2   Calculate multipliers for the two fractionsÂ
   Denote the Least Common Multiple by  L.C.MÂ
   Denote the Left Multiplier by  Left_MÂ
   Denote the Right Multiplier by  Right_MÂ
   Denote the Left Deniminator by  L_DenoÂ
   Denote the Right Multiplier by  R_DenoÂ
   Left_M = L.C.M / L_Deno = 1
   Right_M = L.C.M / R_Deno = a+4
Making Equivalent Fractions :
 4.3     Rewrite the two fractions into equivalent fractions
Two fractions are called equivalent if they have the same numeric value.
For example : 1/2   and  2/4  are equivalent,  y/(y+1)2   and  (y2+y)/(y+1)3  are equivalent as well.Â
To calculate equivalent fraction , multiply the Numerator of each fraction, by its respective Multiplier.
L. Mult. • L. Num. a
—————————————————— = —————————————
L.C.M (a+4) • (a-4)
R. Mult. • R. Num. 2 • (a+4)
—————————————————— = —————————————
L.C.M (a+4) • (a-4)
Adding fractions that have a common denominator :
 4.4      Adding up the two equivalent fractionsÂ
Add the two equivalent fractions which now have a common denominator
Combine the numerators together, put the sum or difference over the common denominator then reduce to lowest terms if possible:
a + 2 • (a+4) 3a + 8
————————————— = —————————————————
(a+4) • (a-4) (a + 4) • (a - 4)
Equation at the end of step  4  : (3a + 8) 2
————————————————— - ————— = 0
(a + 4) • (a - 4) a + 4
Step  5  :Calculating the Least Common Multiple :
 5.1   Find the Least Common MultipleÂ
     The left denominator is :       (a+4) • (a-4)Â
     The right denominator is :       a+4Â
                  Number of times each Algebraic Factor
            appears in the factorization of:    Algebraic   Â
    Factor     LeftÂ
 Denominator  RightÂ
 Denominator  L.C.M = MaxÂ
 {Left,Right}  a+4 111 a-4 101
     Least Common Multiple:Â
      (a+4) • (a-4)Â
Calculating Multipliers :
 5.2   Calculate multipliers for the two fractionsÂ
   Denote the Least Common Multiple by  L.C.MÂ
   Denote the Left Multiplier by  Left_MÂ
   Denote the Right Multiplier by  Right_MÂ
   Denote the Left Deniminator by  L_DenoÂ
   Denote the Right Multiplier by  R_DenoÂ
   Left_M = L.C.M / L_Deno = 1
   Right_M = L.C.M / R_Deno = a-4
Making Equivalent Fractions :
 5.3     Rewrite the two fractions into equivalent fractions
L. Mult. • L. Num. (3a+8)
—————————————————— = —————————————
L.C.M (a+4) • (a-4)
R. Mult. • R. Num. 2 • (a-4)
—————————————————— = —————————————
L.C.M (a+4) • (a-4)
Adding fractions that have a common denominator :
 5.4      Adding up the two equivalent fractionsÂ
(3a+8) - (2 • (a-4)) a + 16
———————————————————— = —————————————————
(a+4) • (a-4) (a + 4) • (a - 4)
Equation at the end of step  5  : a + 16
————————————————— = 0
(a + 4) • (a - 4)
Step  6  :When a fraction equals zero : 6.1   When a fraction equals zero ...
Where a fraction equals zero, its numerator, the part which is above the fraction line, must equal zero.
Now,to get rid of the denominator, Tiger multiplys both sides of the equation by the denominator.
Here's how:
a+16
——————————— • (a+4)•(a-4) = 0 • (a+4)•(a-4)
(a+4)•(a-4)
Now, on the left hand side, the  (a+4) • (a-4) cancels out the denominator, while, on the right hand side, zero times anything is still zero.
The equation now takes the shape :
   a+16  = 0
Solving a Single Variable Equation :
 6.2      Solve  :    a+16 = 0Â
 Subtract  16 from both sides of the equation :Â
                      a = -16Â
One solution was found :
                   a = -16