Question

I REALLY need help with this one, please.
Simplify: 3y^4 - 9y^5 + 15y^4 + 3y^6

Answer 1

group any terms that have the same exponent for y

next, try to factor out any number and y that is common across all terms

Answer 2

So 3, 9 & 15?

Answer 3

well...

for y^4 terms, I see 3y^4 and 15y^4, so they add to 18y^4

I don't see any other terms you can consolidate.

You could factor everything by 3y^4, leaving the other terms inside the parenthesis at the end.

Do you understand the idea of factoring?

Answer 4

No, not at all. :(

Answer 5

Example:
\[x ^{4} +2 x ^{3} +3x^{2} = x ^{2}(x ^{2}+2x+3)\]

Answer 6

You can factor out x^2 there because all the terms have at least x^2, so what's left in the parenthesis is whatever you have to multiply by x^2 to get the original expression