Question

If you added the two polynomials below, what would be the leading coefficient? What number goes where the question mark is?

(-7x+7)+(-6x-5) = ?x+2)

A. Leading coefficient: -13, ? = -13

B. Leading coefficient: 13, ? = 13

C. Leading coefficient: -1, ? = -1

D. Leading coefficient: 1, ? = 1

Answer 1

To find the leading coefficient when adding the polynomials (-7x+7) and (-6x-5), combine like terms to get -13x+2. The leading coefficient is -13, which also fits where the question mark is, making answer A correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you add the two polynomials (-7x+7) and (-6x-5), you combine like terms, which are the terms that contain the same variables raised to the same power. In this case, you will combine the x terms and the constant terms separately. The x terms are -7x and -6x, which add up to -13x.

The constant terms are +7 and -5, which add up to +2. Therefore, the addition of these two polynomials results in -13x+2. As such, the leading coefficient of the polynomial is -13, and the question mark, which stands for the coefficient of the x term, should be -13 as well. Therefore, the correct answer is A. Leading coefficient: -13, ? = -13.