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36 votes
36 votes
Can anybody help me with explaining polynomials and multiplying them with exponents to please don’t give me a random answer just to get points! I’m really stuck!

User Insomaniacal
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1 Answer

27 votes
27 votes

Answer:

First, you need to know how to multiply two monomials together. A monomial is a one term polynomial.

2x × 5x, 2x²y × 3xy², and ab² × 4b³ are examples of products of monomials.

To multiply monomials together, multiply the number parts together and multiply the variables together.

Here are the 3 examples above solved:

2x × 5x = 10x²

2x²y × 3xy² = 6x³y³

ab² × 4b³ = 4ab^5

To multiply two polynomials together, multiply every term of the first polynomial by every term of the second polynomial. then combine like terms.

Example:

(2x² + 3x - 8)(4x³ - 5x²) =

= 2x² × 4x³ + 2x² × (-5x²) + 3x × 4x³ + 3x × (-5x²) - 8 × 4x³ - 8 × (-5x²)

= 8x^5 - 10x^4 + 12x^4 - 15x³ - 32x³ + 40x²

= 8x^5 + 2x^4 - 47x³ + 40x²

This is a lot of material in very little space. You need to start with simple examples of multiplication of 2 monomials. Then practice multiplying a monomial by a binomial. Then practice with polynomials of more terms.

User Lennert
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