document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=73971>Question 73971</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Simplify: (3x^2 + 6x - 8) + (-5x^2 - 8x + 4)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A) -2x^2 - 14x -12 <BR>\n" );
document.write( "B) -2x^2 - 2x - 4 <BR>\n" );
document.write( "C) 3x^2 + 2x + 12 <BR>\n" );
document.write( "D) 8x^2 + 14x + 12 <BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #52977 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=52977\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> (3x^2 + 6x - 8) + (-5x^2 - 8x + 4)<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "If the parentheses that group the terms are preceded by a + sign or no sign which is to be taken<BR>\n" );
document.write( "as a + sign, you can just remove the parentheses without changing the signs of the terms that<BR>\n" );
document.write( "are inside them.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Since the two sets of parentheses above are preceded by + or no sign, you can just remove them<BR>\n" );
document.write( "to get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3x^2 + 6x - 8 -5x^2 - 8x + 4<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "You can only combine terms that contain the same x's.  So you can combine 3x^2 and - 5x^2 because<BR>\n" );
document.write( "they both contain x^2.  The +3 and the -5 combine to give you -2 and you multiply that<BR>\n" );
document.write( "by the x^2 to get -2x^2.  This is one of the terms in the answer.  <BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Next combine the two terms that just contain x.  These terms are +6x and -8x.  The +6 and -8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "add to give you -2 and this multiplies x.  So the answer is -2x.  You now have two terms of<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the answer ... -2x^2 - 2x.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Finally, combine the two terms that contain no x's ... -8 and +4.  They add to -4, and that<BR>\n" );
document.write( "is the third term of the answer.  The whole answer, therefore, is -2x^2 - 2x - 4.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Answer B is the correct answer.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "All this problem involved was watching for like terms involving x and combining them by the<BR>\n" );
document.write( "rules of algebraic addition of numbers.  Hope you're gaining some insight into how the process <BR>\n" );
document.write( "works. </SPAN>\n" );
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