Simplifying Polynomial Expressions
This article will guide you through simplifying the following polynomial expression:
(-6x^3 - 9x^2 - 10x + 6) + (8x^4 - 5x^3 + 4x^2 + 9x + 3)
Understanding the Process
Simplifying polynomial expressions involves combining like terms. Like terms are terms that have the same variable and exponent. For example, 3x^2 and -2x^2 are like terms because they both have the variable 'x' raised to the power of 2.
Step-by-Step Solution
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Remove Parentheses: Since we are adding the two polynomials, the parentheses do not change the signs of the terms inside.
(-6x^3 - 9x^2 - 10x + 6) + (8x^4 - 5x^3 + 4x^2 + 9x + 3) = -6x^3 - 9x^2 - 10x + 6 + 8x^4 - 5x^3 + 4x^2 + 9x + 3
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Rearrange Terms: It's helpful to rearrange the terms to group like terms together.
8x^4 - 6x^3 - 5x^3 - 9x^2 + 4x^2 - 10x + 9x + 6 + 3
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Combine Like Terms: Combine the coefficients of the like terms.
8x^4 - 11x^3 - 5x^2 - x + 9
Result
The simplified form of the polynomial expression is: 8x^4 - 11x^3 - 5x^2 - x + 9