Simplifying Polynomial Expressions
This article will guide you through simplifying the polynomial expression: (x^4 - 3x^3 + 5x^2 + x - 4) - (x^3 - 4x^2 - 11x + 10).
Understanding the Problem
We are asked to subtract two polynomial expressions. To do this, we will follow these steps:
- Distribute the negative sign: The minus sign in front of the second set of parentheses means we multiply each term inside the parentheses by -1.
- Combine like terms: We identify terms with the same variable and exponent and combine their coefficients.
Simplifying the Expression
Let's apply the steps:
-
Distribute the negative sign: (x^4 - 3x^3 + 5x^2 + x - 4) - (x^3 - 4x^2 - 11x + 10) = x^4 - 3x^3 + 5x^2 + x - 4 - x^3 + 4x^2 + 11x - 10
-
Combine like terms: x^4 - 3x^3 - x^3 + 5x^2 + 4x^2 + x + 11x - 4 - 10 = x^4 - 4x^3 + 9x^2 + 12x - 14
Final Result
The simplified form of the given expression is x^4 - 4x^3 + 9x^2 + 12x - 14.