Can you combine exponents?

To add or subtract with powers, both the variables and the exponents of the variables must be the same. When adding or subtracting with powers, the terms that combine always have exactly the same variables with exactly the same powers. These rules are true for multiplying and dividing exponents as well.

How do you combine powers?

The exponent “product rule” tells us that, when multiplying two powers that have the same base, you can add the exponents. In this example, you can see how it works. Adding the exponents is just a short cut! The “power rule” tells us that to raise a power to a power, just multiply the exponents.

How do you find the like terms of a polynomial?

Two or more terms in a polynomial are like terms if they have the same variable (or variables) with the same exponent. For example, 3×2 3 x 2 and −5×2 − 5 x 2 are like terms: They both have x as the variable, and the exponent is 2 for each.

How do you collect like terms in math?

How to collect like terms in algebra

  1. Objects are often represented in algebra by a single letter.
  2. Like terms share the same letter(s) and power(s), eg 𝑥 or 𝑥²
  3. Algebraic expressions can be collected together if they are like terms. This is done by adding or subtracting.

What is example of combining like terms?

1) Combine like terms on right side: 3x-12 = 5x+2 2) Subtract 3x from both sides: -12 = 2x + 2 3) Subtract 2 from both sides: -14 = 2x 4) Divide both sides by 2: -7 = x

How do you simplify each expression by combining like terms?

Simplify an algebraic expression by combining like terms. Like terms have the same variable raised to the same exponent (or power). Identify the like terms by their variable form, then combine the coefficients. Remember when combining like terms that only the coefficients are combined, the variable form stays the same.

Do like terms have to have the same exponent?

Because like terms are the terms that have the same variables with each variable raised to the same exponent. Unlike terms are the opposite of like terms, as they do not have the same variables and exponents or powers.

What does adding like terms mean?

ADDING LIKE TERMS. WHEN NUMBERS ARE ADDED OR SUBTRACTED, we call them terms. (Lesson 1.) Like terms look exactly alike, except perhaps for a numerical factor, which is called the coefficient of the term.