College

Which of the following expressions is equivalent to [tex]-4x^3 - 12x^3 + 9x^2[/tex]?

A. [tex]x^8[/tex]

B. [tex]-7x^8[/tex]

C. [tex]-8x^3 + 9x^2[/tex]

D. [tex]-16x^3 + 9x^2[/tex]

E. [tex]-16x^6 + 9x^2[/tex]

Answer :

Sure! Let's work through the expression step-by-step to find the equivalent expression.

We start with the expression:

[tex]\[ -4x^3 - 12x^3 + 9x^2 \][/tex]

1. Combine Like Terms:

Look for terms that have the same variable raised to the same power. In this case, [tex]\( -4x^3 \)[/tex] and [tex]\( -12x^3 \)[/tex] are like terms because they both involve [tex]\( x^3 \)[/tex].

2. Add the Coefficients of Like Terms:

[tex]\[
-4x^3 - 12x^3 = (-4 - 12)x^3 = -16x^3
\][/tex]

3. Write the Simplified Expression:

Now that we have combined the like terms, the expression simplifies to:

[tex]\[
-16x^3 + 9x^2
\][/tex]

So, the expression that is equivalent to [tex]\( -4x^3 - 12x^3 + 9x^2 \)[/tex] is:

[tex]\[ -16x^3 + 9x^2 \][/tex]

This matches with one of the provided options. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!