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Which of the following are the like terms for this polynomial:

A) n²-3n² - 5n²-5n
B) n²,-3n²,-5n²
C) 5n²,- 5n
D) n², 3n², 5n²
E) all of them are like terms

User ColWhi
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1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

Like terms are terms with identical variables raised to the same power; in the given polynomial, n², -3n², -5n² are like terms.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks which terms are the like terms in a given polynomial. Like terms are terms that have the exact same variables raised to the same power. In this case, we are looking for terms that have the n variable raised to the same power.

Looking at the polynomial in option A (n²-3n²-5n²-5n), we can identify that the first three terms are like terms because they all have the variable n raised to the second power (n²). The last term, -5n, is not a like term with the others because it has the variable n raised to the first power.

Therefore, the like terms in the polynomial once simplified would be n², -3n², and -5n². This means that option B (n²,-3n²,-5n²) correctly identifies the like terms in the polynomial.

User Sschilli
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