Question

Add the following algebraic terms 3x, -3x, 5y, 7y.

Answer 1

Hint: Addition in algebraic numbers is similar to the usual numbers.
Here we need to add 3x, -3x, 5y, 7y. We’ll add as follows:
$
  3x + ( - 3x) + 5y + 7y \\
   = 3x - 3x + (5 + 7)y \\
   = (3 - 3)x + (12)y \\
   = (0)x + 12y \\
   = 0 + 12y \\
   = 12y \\
$
Hence, 12y is the required solution.
Note: Addition, subtraction, multiplication of algebraic expressions is the same as usual numbers but we need to be careful with the divisions because we don’t want 0 in the denominator.