Question

Please help me someone

Perform the operation indicated, then place the answer in the proper location on the grid. Write your answer in descending powers of a.

(a3 - 2a + 5) - (4a3 - 5a2 + a - 2)

Answer 1

Is it supposed to be like a to the power of 3 and like 4a to the power of 3?

Answer 2

i dont really know

Answer 3

\[ (a^3 - 2a + 5) - (4a^3 - 5a^2 + a - 2) \]
first, you can drop the parens around the first 3 terms.
for the 2nd parens, distribute the -1
in other words you have this
\[ a^3 - 2a + 5 + -1\cdot (4a^3 - 5a^2 + a - 2) \]
multiply the -1 times each term inside the parens

Answer 4

do you know how to multiply -1 * 4a^3 ?
you do
-1*4*a^3
and -1*4 is -4
so you have
-4*a^3
which we can write as
-4a^3
can you do the other terms?
multiply -1 times each term in the parens

Answer 5

im still confused

Answer 6

@texaschic101

Answer 7

a^3 - 2a + 5 - (4a^3 - 5a^2 + a - 2).....distribute the - through the parenthesis
a^3 - 2a - 4a^3 + 5a^2 - a + 2 -- now just combine like terms
can you do that ?

Answer 8

little tip....if you have a sign before the parenthesis with no number, that number is an understood 1. So you would multiply -1 by everything in the parenthesis

Answer 9

that will get rid of the parenthesis...and then you just combine like terms

Answer 10

Look at the 2nd equation that @phi put in their reply.. the second half (that's in parentheses) should be multiplied by -1.. when you get that all you have to do is combine like terms.

Answer 11

can you explain what part is confusing ?

Answer 12

I think you can learn to do this, but you might have to learn (or review) a few ideas.
If you have time, we can try to do that.