Like Terms

[shhs_pretzels]

I am having alot of trouble with like terms. I checked out the tutorial on another site, but it didnt do much.

Here is an example problem from my book that I can't figure out:

3a^2(xy) + 5xa^2(y) - 2ya^2(x)
(NOTE: the ^ means "to the power of..." and the lettered variables next to an exponent are not part of it, so they are set in parentheses.)

Can anyone please tell me steps to solving these problems, thoroughly? It might be best to e-mail me a website or anything that you think might help me with this problem at shhs_pretzels@hotmail.com. So far it is all I don't understand!

 

[Lizzie]

to write something to a power, do this x< sup >2</ sup > without the spaces. It will look like this x². Having said that, can you try to retype the problem so we can help you with it? Thank you

 

[opticaltempest]

Is your goal to simplify the expression?

If the original problem is: \(\displaystyle 3a^2xy+5xa^2y-2ya^2x\)

Do you see in this expression how each term involves \(\displaystyle a^2xy\)?
The variables are just put in different order. The order in which things are
multiplied do not make a difference, for example 5*7*2 is equal to 2*5*7.

\(\displaystyle xa^2y\) is the same as \(\displaystyle a^2xy\)

In this expression, we have like terms because all of the terms in the
expression involve the same variables and each variable is risen to the
same power.

So when we re-arrange the order of the variables on each
term in the expression we have,

\(\displaystyle 3a^2xy+5a^2xy-2a^2xy\)

Do you see how you can simplify these like terms from here?

If not, say for example we had 5x + 10x, this is expression has like terms because all of its terms involve the same variable risen to the same power. What would you do to simplify that expression?

5x is really saying \(\displaystyle x+x+x+x+x\)
10x is really saying \(\displaystyle x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x\)

So 5x+10x is the same as saying

\(\displaystyle (x+x+x+x+x) + (x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x)\)

Since we are adding both quantities of x we can drop the parentheses, so we have

\(\displaystyle x + x + x + x + x + x + x + x + x + x + x + x + x + x + x\)

Which is a total of how many x's ?

Do you see some operation we can do to the coefficients (the numbers in front) of the variables that gives us the same as adding up each individual x term?

 

[shhs_pretzels]

ok

thanks for your help! i see now that it really is very easy..

 

[stressed-out]

help me!!!

:? :x could somebody please help me with my math homework questions?!!
they are about LIKE TERMS and its getting me frustrated :x :?

 

[stapel]

Please post new questions in new threads, rather than as replies to old questions. Thank you.

When you post your question, please note that we cannot teach classes here, so you will need either to post the specific exercise with which you're having difficulty, or else specify that you are requesting links to online lessons, and on what particular topics.

Thank you.

Eliz.