ISEE Upper Level Quantitative Reasoning › How to subtract exponents
Define as follows:
Evaluate .
Simplify the expresseion:
The expression is already simplified.
Variable terms can be combined by adding and subtracting if and only of they are like - that is, if each exponent of each variable is the same. In the given expression, no two exponents are the same. The terms cannot be combined, and the expression is already simplified.
Subtract and simplify:
Consider a vertical subtraction process:
Rewrite as the addition of the opposite of the second expression, as follows:
Define a function .
Evaluate
Define and
.
Evaluate .
Undefined
, by definition, so
Evaluate and
separately:
Define a function as follows:
Evaluate .
Define an operation as follows:
For all real numbers ,
.
Evaluate: .
Subtract and simplify:
The correct answer is not among the other responses.
Consider a vertical subtraction process:
Rewrite as the addition of the opposite of the second expression, as follows:
Define an operation as follows:
For all real numbers ,
.
Evaluate: .
, so
Define as follows:
Evaluate .