Simplifying Polynomial Expressions
This article will guide you through simplifying the polynomial expression:
(2x^2 - 1 + 3x^3) + (5 - 13x - 11x^2)
Understanding the Problem
We need to combine like terms to simplify this expression. Here's a breakdown:
- Like terms: Terms with the same variable and exponent. For example, 2x^2 and -11x^2 are like terms, while 2x^2 and 3x^3 are not.
Steps to Simplify
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Remove the parentheses: Since we're adding the two expressions, the parentheses don't affect the order of operations. We can simply remove them:
2x^2 - 1 + 3x^3 + 5 - 13x - 11x^2
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Rearrange terms: Let's group like terms together:
3x^3 + 2x^2 - 11x^2 - 13x - 1 + 5
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Combine like terms: Add or subtract the coefficients of like terms:
3x^3 + (-9x^2) - 13x + 4
Final Result
The simplified form of the expression is: 3x^3 - 9x^2 - 13x + 4