A biologist studied the populations of white-sided jackrabbits and black-tailed jackrabbits over a 5-year period. The biologist modeled the populations, in thousands, with the following polynomials where x is time, in years.

White-sided jackrabbits: 5.5x2 – 9.2x + 6.9
Black-tailed jackrabbits: 5.5x2 + 9.9x + 1.3

What polynomial models the total number of white-sided and black-tailed jackrabbits?
11x2 + 0.7x + 8.2
11x2 – 0.7x + 8.2
11x2 – 0.7x – 8.2
–11x2 + 0.7x – 8.2

Question

A biologist studied the populations of white-sided jackrabbits and black-tailed jackrabbits over a 5-year period. The biologist modeled the populations, in thousands, with the following polynomials where x is time, in years.

White-sided jackrabbits: 5.5x2 – 9.2x + 6.9
Black-tailed jackrabbits:  5.5x2 + 9.9x + 1.3



What polynomial models the total number of white-sided and black-tailed jackrabbits?
 11x2 + 0.7x + 8.2
11x2 – 0.7x + 8.2
11x2 – 0.7x – 8.2
–11x2 +  0.7x – 8.2

anonymous · Answer

it asking for the total number of sided and black sided rabbits, so basically you just have to combine the equations 

(5.5x2 – 9.2x + 6.9)+(5.5x2 + 9.9x + 1.3)

anonymous · Answer

try answering it and show me what you get

anonymous · Answer

also remember to combine "like" terms!

mrsdrlarry · Answer

I want you to know that I am not a student, I am a parent homeschooling my children and I am hoping to use this site to check their work and be able to help them better. I am horrible with Algebra and such, and I have no other way to be sure they understand what they are doing. So, in a nut shell, I have no idea how to even begin to solve this problem.

anonymous · Answer

Alright, im a home schooled student my self :D 
first you have to combine "like" terms like 5.5x2(these are like terms because of the x2)
and you would get 11x2
now add -9.2x and 9.9x(these are alike because of the x)
you get 0.7x
now add 6.9 and 1.3(these are like terms because they are common numbers)
you get 8.2

so the answer would be 11x2+0.7x+8.2

hope this helped :D

anonymous · Answer

did this answer you question?

mrsdrlarry · Answer

Yes it did and thank you for including the explanation. I home school 5 of my 10 children. I have 1 in first grade, 1 in eighth grade, twins in 9th grade, and 1 in twelfth grade. SO finding this site will hopefully help me help them. I have several more questions. Do I just post them? Is there a limit? I am not sure how this works? And just so you know, I do not GIVE my children the answers, but I can't help them if I don't know how to do this math, which is why I appreciate the explanation.

anonymous · Answer

sure you can continue to post your questions

anonymous · Answer

can you award me medal for helping :D

mrsdrlarry · Answer

Sure, how do I do that?

anonymous · Answer

click the best response button to right of my answer

anonymous · Answer

alright do have another question?