15n2+6n3-3n3-5n2-3n2-5n4 The red terms are like terms, which combine to +7n2 The blue terms are like terms, which combine to +3n3 The black term -5n4 is not like any other term. In descending powers, we start with the black term, since it has the largest exponent. Then the term with 3 exponent, and finally the term with the 2 exponent -5n4+3n3+7n2 Edwin