Question

simplify
(2/3x^3+1/2x^2-1/4x)-(-1/8x+3/4x^2-1/3x^3)

Answer 1

Assuming your problem is this: \[(\frac{2}{3}x^3+\frac{1}{2}x^2 - \frac{1}{4}x)-(-\frac{1}{8}x+\frac{3}{4}x^2-\frac{1}{3}x^3)\] I would suggest you start by distributing the minus sign into the second quantity. Then look at combining like terms, and depending on how far you need to go you could factor them.

Answer 2

-(x-2) (x+4)/8x^3
-X^2 + 2x – 8/ 8x^3
-x^2 – 2x + 8 / 8x^3

Answer 3

i still don't get it

Answer 4

How far did you get?

Answer 5

i came up with 1/3^3-1/4x^2-1/8x

Answer 6

is that correct?

Answer 7

i got it

Answer 8

... Okay, that's great. :)

Answer 9

\[x^3-1/4^2-1/8x\]

Answer 10

Close.. :)

Answer 11

right....?? whew!

Answer 12

x^3-1/4x^2-1/8x

Answer 13

There ya go.. Although I believe the x is not part of the denominator..

Answer 14

its not...

Answer 15

Now you can look at factoring it if you need to simplify it further.

Answer 16

thanks so much. now i should do well on my final next week....this was stumping me even in class!!!

Answer 17

Are you familiar with polynomials?

Answer 18

Which order?

Answer 19

If there is an integer that has a powere of y, that would not be a polynomial correct? such as 3.2x^4+2.4x^y+7.3

Answer 20

And if on of the number has a power of a fraction that is not a polynomial correct? such as 4x^2+9x^1/3+y^2

Answer 21

I'm viewing my notes and it seems confusing

Answer 22

Correct, as I understand it all exponents must be integers greater than 0.

Answer 23

So in your two examples those would NOT be polynomials because 'y' and 1/3 are not integers.

Answer 24

what if it were ^1/2

Answer 25

No, fractions are not integers.

Answer 26

exponents can only be 0,1,2,3,... etc.

Answer 27

can absolute values be polynomials?

Answer 28

since 1/2 is .50 would that be an exception?

Answer 29

No.

Answer 30

1/2 is a fraction and thus cannot be a polynomial.

Answer 31

No? that absoulte values cannot be polynomials?

Answer 32

I would argue a conditional on that, since the absolute value is a way of handling a number it would not be a polynomial, but if you look at just the value you might say that x^|5| still has a positive integer as a power so maybe. However by the strict definition of a polynomial, whose exponents can only be 0,1,2,3,4,..etc. then NO, even absolute value would not count.

Answer 33

thanks