Simplifying the Expression: (6a^2 - 5a) + (a - 5a + 3a^3)
This article will guide you through simplifying the algebraic expression: (6a^2 - 5a) + (a - 5a + 3a^3).
Step 1: Identify Like Terms
First, we need to identify the like terms within the expression. Like terms are terms that have the same variable and the same exponent.
- 6a^2 and 3a^3 are not like terms because they have different exponents.
- -5a, a, and -5a are like terms because they all have the variable "a" raised to the power of 1.
Step 2: Combine Like Terms
Now, we can combine the like terms by adding their coefficients:
- 6a^2 + 3a^3 remains as it is (no other terms have the same exponent).
- -5a + a - 5a = -9a
Step 3: Write the Simplified Expression
After combining like terms, the simplified expression is:
3a^3 + 6a^2 - 9a
Conclusion
By identifying like terms and combining them, we successfully simplified the expression (6a^2 - 5a) + (a - 5a + 3a^3) to 3a^3 + 6a^2 - 9a. Remember, this process is crucial for solving algebraic equations and simplifying complex expressions in mathematics.