Simplifying the Expression: (4a^3 - 8a - 4a^2) + (7a^3 - 7 - 6a)
This article will guide you through simplifying the given expression: (4a^3 - 8a - 4a^2) + (7a^3 - 7 - 6a). We will break down the process step-by-step, focusing on combining like terms.
Understanding Like Terms
Before we begin, let's define like terms. Like terms are terms that have the same variable and exponent. For example:
- 4a^3 and 7a^3 are like terms.
- -8a and -6a are like terms.
- -4a^2 is a term on its own.
Simplifying the Expression
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Remove the Parentheses: Since we are adding the two expressions, we can simply remove the parentheses. (4a^3 - 8a - 4a^2) + (7a^3 - 7 - 6a) = 4a^3 - 8a - 4a^2 + 7a^3 - 7 - 6a
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Combine Like Terms: We now group the terms with the same variables and exponents. (4a^3 + 7a^3) + (-8a - 6a) - 4a^2 - 7
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Simplify: Perform the addition and subtraction within each group. 11a^3 - 14a - 4a^2 - 7
Final Result
Therefore, the simplified expression is 11a^3 - 14a - 4a^2 - 7.