Simplifying Algebraic Expressions: A Step-by-Step Guide
This article will guide you through the process of simplifying the algebraic expression:
(7x²y² - 6x³ + xy) - (5x²y² - x³ + xy + x)
Let's break down the steps involved in simplifying this expression:
1. Distributing the Negative Sign
The first step is to distribute the negative sign in front of the second set of parentheses. Remember that multiplying a negative sign by each term inside the parentheses changes the sign of each term:
(7x²y² - 6x³ + xy) + (-5x²y² + x³ - xy - x)
2. Combining Like Terms
Now, we can combine like terms. Like terms have the same variables raised to the same exponents.
- x²y² terms: 7x²y² - 5x²y² = 2x²y²
- x³ terms: -6x³ + x³ = -5x³
- xy terms: xy - xy = 0
- x terms: -x
3. The Simplified Expression
After combining like terms, the simplified expression is:
2x²y² - 5x³ - x
Therefore, the simplified form of the expression (7x²y² - 6x³ + xy) - (5x²y² - x³ + xy + x) is 2x²y² - 5x³ - x.