Home › NY Regents Algebra I › Mathematics › Polynomials and Exponents › The terms 3x squared and 5x cubed cannot be comb…
The terms 3x squared and 5x cubed cannot be combined because they differ in their:
ASign value
BCoefficient
CExponent
DBase value
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Exponent
1. Like terms must agree on more than the letter used.
2. Combining like terms requires the same base with the same exponent.
3. Both terms here use the same base, x.
4. But one carries exponent 2 and the other carries exponent 3.
5. Differing exponents mean they are not like terms.
_Source: OpenStax Elementary Algebra 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 6 'Polynomials', sections 6.1-6.8_
Related questions
The constant 9 is a polynomial whose degree is:A polynomial containing terms of degree 2, degree 5 and degree 1 has degree:The degree of the term 4x cubed y squared is:The expression 5x squared plus 3x minus 7 is best classified as a:Which form of the Quotient Property applies depends on whether the larger exponent is in tThe Quotient Property for Exponents is described as having how many forms?Which exponent property was developed for multiplication of expressions with the same baseAn exponential expression that contains a power raised to a power is simplified using the: