(-3m^4-m^3)-(5m^2+m^4)

Jasonbradley

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Jun 16, 2024

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Simplifying the Expression: (-3m^4 - m^3) - (5m^2 + m^4)

This article will guide you through the process of simplifying the expression (-3m^4 - m^3) - (5m^2 + m^4).

Understanding the Process

The key to simplifying this expression is to combine like terms. Remember, like terms have the same variable and exponent. For example, -3m^4 and m^4 are like terms because they both have m raised to the power of 4.

Step-by-Step Simplification

1. Distribute the negative sign:

   • When we have a minus sign before parentheses, we distribute it to each term inside the parentheses:
   • (-3m^4 - m^3) - (5m^2 + m^4) becomes -3m^4 - m^3 - 5m^2 - m^4

2. Combine like terms:

   • m^4 terms: -3m^4 - m^4 = -4m^4
   • m^3 terms: -m^3 (there are no other m^3 terms)
   • m^2 terms: -5m^2 (there are no other m^2 terms)

3. Write the simplified expression:

   • Combining all the terms, the simplified expression is -4m^4 - m^3 - 5m^2.

Conclusion

Therefore, the simplified form of the expression (-3m^4 - m^3) - (5m^2 + m^4) is -4m^4 - m^3 - 5m^2. By following the steps of distributing the negative sign and combining like terms, we can simplify complex expressions into a more manageable form.