Evaluate Algebraic Skills

Question

Evaluate each of the following when x=2 and y=5.

A) x2y - xy2

B) xy (x - y)

C) why are the answers in A & B the same?

Answer 1

Evaluate each of the following when x=2 and y=5.

A) x²y - xy²

This is s*s*y - x*y*y

Plug in the values of x and y; you've got the answer.

B) xy (x - y)

This is x*y*(x-y)

Now, plug in the values of x and y where they appear.

C) why are the answers in A & B the same?

The distributative property of multiplication over addition/subtraction says that:

a(b+c) = ab + ac

So,

xy(x - y) = x*x*y - x*y*y = x²y - xy² [They are the same expression.;

they will have the same value for any x and y]