14x^2y - 9x^y=

Question

Simplify this answer.  That is what it says in my math book. 

 

Answer 1

14 X^2y - 9 X ^Y = 14 (X^y) ² - 9 X ^Y

 

                      = X^Y( 14 X^Y -9 )   

Answer 2

Ummmm...I have to respectfully disagree with Regina.

 

If I'm reading the question correctly, the first term is 14 * (x raised to the 2y power). 

And the second term is 9 * (x raised to the y power).

 

Regina is right that you probably can't combine any of the terms, but I'd say that factoring out something would be a simplification.  So, the question is:  can you factor anything out of both terms? 

 

Which means, can I do something with the x^y stuff?  In order to figure that out, you have to look at x^2y and ask yourself "Can I factor x^y out of that, and if so, then what am I left with?"

 

Somewhere in your book/lessons, you know something about powers when they're multiplied together.  So, x raised to the a*b power is equivalent to something.  And you can flip the a and the b either way, because a*b is the same as b*a. 

 

If you can find that identity of exponents that tells you what you can do with x^(a*b), then you can figure out what to do with x^(2*y), or x^(y*2).

 

And then, you can figure out what you can factor out of those two terms, if anything.  I think there's something to be factored.  :)

 

Hope this helps,

 

-- Michael

Answer 3

As it is written, this is simplified. You cannot combine any of these terms, unless you're given values for the variables.