Same idea as saying 6 apples plus 5 apples -- just that instead of apples, you are counting some number of 's. Just remember that if is an apple, then is a banana, and or any other letter is something else entirely. Furthermore, in math, no fair saying "Oh, look, fruit salad" -- you have to keep the like things together and the different things apart.
John
My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
