Question

When you multiply two terms by two terms,you should get four terms. Why is the final result when you multiply two binomials sometimes only three terms? Give an example of how this can happen

Answer 1

Two binomials when multiplied sometimes give only three terms because two terms are usually alike, as such, they related together to become a term.

For example, (2x^2 +x) and (3x+1) multiplied together to give,

`\begin{gathered} (2x^2+x)(3x+1) \\ 2x^2(3x+1)+x(3x+1) \\ 6x^3+2x^2+3x^2+x \\ 6x^3+5x^2+x \end{gathered}`