What is the range of this function?

Two friends are reading books. jimmy reads a book with 21,356 words. his friend bob reads a book with one-and-a-half times as many words. which expression represents the number of words bob reads?

Luke started a weight-loss program. the first week, he lost x pounds. the second week, he lost pounds less than times the pounds he lost the first week. the third week, he lost 1 pound more than of the pounds he lost the first week. liam started a weight-loss program when luke did. the first week, he lost 1 pound less than times the pounds luke lost the first week. the second week, he lost 4 pounds less than times the pounds luke lost the first week. the third week, he lost pound more than times the pounds luke lost the first week.

Whats are the trickiest steps to do when adding or subtracting rational expressions? how does knowledge of rational numbers u in adding and subtracting rational expressions?