Question

can someone please tell me how to do this -6x^2y^8 + 12xy^3 -36xy^2/ 6xy^2

Answer 1

are you doing grouping

Answer 2

you can factor something out

Answer 3

im not sure how do you?

Answer 4

factor out both an x and a y

Answer 5

let me get my pen, hold

Answer 6

no prob

Answer 7

You can start by reducing your last term and then you can factor.

Answer 8

you should put parentheses around the equation

Answer 9

that would b -6xy^2 right?

Answer 10

are you dividing the whole thing by 6xy^2?

Answer 11

yes

Answer 12

What is x/x and y^2/y^2, or ANYTHING over itself?

Answer 13

is it 1?

Answer 14

Yes

Answer 15

So -36/6, x/x, y^2/y^2 reduce to what?

Answer 16

well -36÷6=-6 i think

Answer 17

Correct, so your last term reduces to -6 because your x and y values cancel.

Answer 18

ohhhh ok i c so what do i do about the other terms?

Answer 19

would the second top term be 2^1 becayse the x and y would cncel out and then subtract the exponents??

Answer 20

You have \[-6x^{2}y^{8} + 12xy^{3} -\frac{36xy^{2}}{ 6xy^{2}} \rightarrow -6x^{2}y^{8} + 12xy^{3} -6\] What can you take out of this that all the factors have in common?

Answer 21

the x and y's?

Answer 22

Does -6 have an x or a y component?

Answer 23

no

Answer 24

What do all the terms have in common?

Answer 25

im really not sure sorry

Answer 26

One hint would be to look at the last term, that has the least components and will therefore dictate what you can remove.

Answer 27

well because the 6xy^2 had the same variables and exponents in common with the -36xy^2 i was able to simplify that

Answer 28

Right, that part is done. What is your NEW "last" term, that is what you should be looking at.

Answer 29

well the -6 could be divided by the 12 by i just dont know wht i should do with the variables and the exponents

Answer 30

You ignore them.

Answer 31

One of the benefits of "multiplying" is that you can break pieces off individually.

Answer 32

ok so the second term would become -2

Answer 33

Right

Answer 34

So what does the equation look like now?

Answer 35

-6x^2y^8/-6xy^2?

Answer 36

I think i might have the answer: xy^6 +2y-6?

Answer 37

How are you dividing? Your equation starts this phase looking like \[-6x^{2}y^{8} + 12xy^{3} -6\] There is no division going on there.

Answer 38

You are not canceling or eliminating the 6, you are just moving it outside of the expression.

Answer 39

oh ok now i c, i was looking at it wrong