Question 39843
<pre><font size = 3><b>Combine like terms:  6x² + 3x - 2 + 2x² – x + 7

There are 6 terms

+6x², +3x, -2, +2x², -1x, and +7.  (Notice that -x is the same as -1x)

+6x² and +2x² are like terms because the only difference between them
is their coefficients, +6 and +2, so we combine the coefficients and get +8,
then we place +8 in front of the x², the part of those two terms that are the
same.  So we end up with +8x²

+3x and -1x are like terms because the only difference between them
is their coefficients, +3 and -1, so we combine the coefficients and get +2,
then we place +2 in front of the x, the part of those two terms that are the
same.  So we end up with +2x

-2 and +7 are like terms, so we just combine them and get +5,

So they are

+8x², +2x and +5, so we write

+8x² + 2x + 5

and we can erase the introductory +

8x² + 2x + 5

Edwin
AnlytcPhil@aol.com</pre>