Question

please help, I am trying to complete a test before midnight... (1.7x^3+4.8x^2-3.8x)-(-4.4x^3-4.6x^2+63)

Answer 1

Are you supposed to simplify? What is the question?

Answer 2

the question just says subtract

Answer 3

do you have to solve for x?

Answer 4

Easy last time was multiplication now it's addition/subtraction

Answer 5

no, I am just unsure as to how to start this problem, do I need to add all the x terms together before subtracting?

Answer 6

(1.7 + 4.4) x^3 +(4.8+4.6)x^2 -3.8x -63

Answer 7

a minus combined with a minus is a plus.

Answer 8

again put together commonfactors and add them or subtract them
-(-4.4x^3 = 4.4x^3
another common one is
1.7x^3 so just add them
4.4x^3 + 1.7x^3 = 6.1x^3

Answer 9

a minus with a plus (or plus with a minus) is a minus.

Answer 10

put that one aside and do the rest....remember when you asked me about common denominators...you have to worry about that before adding

Answer 11

hope that helps

Answer 12

thanks! So I do then add and subtract the x terms within the parentheses first. I am really bad at math lol

Answer 13

Yep :-)

Answer 14

I was trying to hint at it without completely giving the answer away

Answer 15

but can you see where things became plus and where things became minus?

Answer 16

thank you, I do appreciate both ways because I do indeed need to learn it

Answer 17

yes I think so for the most part

Answer 18

well yeah add the ones that have a common x

for example you can't add 3x & 5x^2
why? because they are not common.


Not sure the correct term but I'm just using that they are not common.

Answer 19

so for that last thing in parentheses, you distribute the minus sign. So you have +4.4x^3, +4.6x^2, and -63

Answer 20

just look at them as components with the sign always being on the left of each "thing" you're dealing with. And then you can arrange them accordingly.

Answer 21

okay that makes sense

Answer 22

thanks!