Question

Revisit some of the examples of polynomial addition andsubtraction you simplified earlier.3x + 5) + (9x + 3) = 12x + 8(2x + 3) - (5x-4)=-3x+732-x)-2(6x - 8) = -15x + 22(572+2x+1)+(6x2-3x + 9) = 11x2-x+10(8x+16) - 38 - 3x - 15)=-3x + 11x +31Look at the degrees of the original expressions and comparethem with the degree of their simplified outcome. Whatchanges do you notice? What changes could possibly occurbetween the degree of the original expression and thedegree of the combined result?Open the Notebook tool (E), and write your answer.

Answer 1

The degree of each expression is the highest power to which the variable, x is raised. Looking at the polynomial expressions, the degrees of the original expressions and that of the simplified expressions are the same.

For the first, second and third polynomial expressions, the degree is 1

For the fourth and fifth polynomial expressions, the degree is 2

There is no change in the degree of the original expression and the degree of the combined expression. Change would only occur if original the expressions were multiplied instead of being added.