Question

what do you do when you simplify like variables with different exponents for example: I have 3x^(5)y^(8) + 2x^(5)y^(7) when I simplify 3x and 2x give me 5x^(5) but I don't know what to do with the different exponents in the y variables do I separate the variables and end with 5x^(5)y^(8)y^(7)?

Answer 1

Because both the x and y variables are associate with a value, you don’t just add 3x and 2x.

You have:

3x^5y^8 + 2x^5y^7

Apply the exponent rule a^b+c = a^ba^c

This means x^5y^8 = x^5y^7y

Now you have:

3x^5y^7y + 2x^5y^7

Since they both now have an x^5y^7 in them factor the out of both:

When you take that out it’d both numbers you are left with 3y + 2

The final answer is: X^5y^7(3y +2)