Algebra 1 : Polynomial Operations

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Algebra 1

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Example Questions

Example Question #6 : How To Add Polynomials

Add:

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First factor the denominators which gives us the following:

The two rational fractions have a common denominator hence they are like "like fractions".  Hence we get:

Simplifying gives us

Example Question #4 : How To Add Polynomials

Simplify

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To simplify you combind like terms: 

Answer: 

 

Example Question #21 : Intermediate Single Variable Algebra

Combine: 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When combining polynomials, only combine like terms. With the like terms, combine the coefficients. Your answer is 

Example Question #24 : Intermediate Single Variable Algebra

Simplify this expression:

Possible Answers:

Not able to simplify further

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Don't be scared by complex terms! First, we follow our order of operations and multiply the  into the first binomial. Then, we check to see if the variables are alike. If they match perfectly, we can add and subtract their coefficients just like we could if the expression was .

Remember, a variable is always a variable, no matter how complex! In this problem, the terms match after we follow our order of operations! So we just add the coefficients of the matching terms and we get our answer:

Example Question #4381 : Algebra 1

Simplify the following:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To solve , identify all the like-terms and regroup to combine the values.

 

Example Question #12 : How To Add Polynomials

Evaluate the following expression:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To add two polynomials together, you combine all like terms.

Combining the  terms gives us 

Combining the  terms gives us , since there is only 1 of those terms in the expression it remains the same.

Combining the  terms gives us 

and finally combining theconstants gives us 

summing all these together gives us 

Example Question #4391 : Algebra 1

Simplify the following expression:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To add polynomials, simply group by like terms and perform the indicated operation. Remember, only like-variables can be added to one another:

  is the simplest form of this expression.

Example Question #152 : Polynomials

Simplify the following expression:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Collect like terms.

Example Question #14 : How To Add Polynomials

Simplify the following expression:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

In order to simplify this expression, we need to add together like terms. What this means, is that we can only add together different parts of the expression that have the same kind of variable. For example,  can only be added to other values that also have . We cannot combine  to values that do not have the same exact variable - so, we cannot combine it with , or , and so on. Everything about the variables of two terms needs to be exactly the same if we are going to be able to combine them - the only thing that can be different are the coefficients (the numbers in front of the variables).

 

So, let's look at the expression above, and see if there are any like terms that we can combine.

Starting with  - in order to be combined with this term, any other term must have  as their variable. There is one other term in this expression tha thas  as their variable - . If two terms hae the exact same variables, the only thing that we need to do in order to combine them is to add their coefficients together:

 

Now, let's look at the next term in the expression, . There are no other terms that have  as their variable, so this term will stay the same.

 

Now, let's look at . There is one other term that has  as their vairable: . Let's add these two terms together:

 

Finally, let's look at our last term which happens to have no variable: . There are no other terms in the expression that have no variable, so this term will stay the same.

Now, let's add together all of our simplified terms, as well as the terms that could not be simplified:

This is our simplified answer.

 

 

Example Question #161 : Polynomials

Simplify the following:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To solve this problem, first distribute anything through parentheses that needs to be distributed, then combine all terms with like variables (i.e. same variable, same exponent):

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