Can Someone please just help me understand exponents better...Like when you have 2x^3 + 5x^5 and when you subtract, multiply and divide what to do with the exponents...My college alg. teacher went over it a bit but i'm super confused.

Question

Can Someone please just help me understand exponents better...Like when you have 2x^3 + 5x^5  and when you subtract, multiply and divide what to do with the exponents...My college alg. teacher went over it a bit but i'm super confused.

misty1212 · Answer

HI!!

misty1212 · Answer

add or subtract, don't mess with the exponents, leave them alone

misty1212 · Answer

just like $200+300=500$ you would have $2x^2+3x^2=5x^2$

misty1212 · Answer

in your example the $2x^3$ and $5x^5$ are not "like terms" so you cannot combine them
they are not like terms because the exponents are different

misty1212 · Answer

for example, if $x$ was $10$ then $2x^3=2\times 10^3=2,000$ and $5x^5=5\times 10^5=500,000$ 
you can add $$500,000+2,000$$ but the 5 and the  2 don't touch, they are in different places

anonymous · Answer

Ok thanks! What about when you multiply and divide?