Question

Find the sum: (x7 + 2x5 - 5x3 + 17x) + (x6 - 2x4 - x2 + 17).

Answer 1

is that the right problem

Answer 2

Yes

Answer 3

\[ (x^7+2x^5-5x^3+17x) \color {red}{+}(x^6-2x^4-x^2+17)\]

Since you cannot add a term that has a different exponent, just simply \(\text{distribute}\) the \(\text{plus sign}\) to \((x^6-2x^4-x^2+17)\).

Answer 4

\[x^7+x^6+2 x^5-2 x^4-5 x^3-x^2+17 x+17 \]