6-4 Adding

Adding and
and Subtracting
Subtracting Polynomials
6-4
Polynomials

Warm Up
Lesson Presentation
Lesson Quiz

Holt
Holt McDougal
Algebra
Algebra 1 1Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Warm Up
Simplify each expression by combining like
terms.
1. 4x + 2x 6x
2. 3y + 7y 10y
3. 8p – 5p 3p
4. 5n + 6n2 not like terms
Simplify each expression.
5. 3(x + 4) 3x + 12
6. –2(t + 3) –2t – 6
7. –1(x2 – 4x – 6) –x2 + 4x + 6
Holt McDougal Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials

Objective
Add and subtract polynomials.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials

Just as you can perform operations on

numbers, you can perform operations on
polynomials. To add or subtract
polynomials, combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Example 1: Adding and Subtracting Monomials

Add or subtract.

A. 12p3 + 11p2 + 8p3

12p3 + 11p2 + 8p3 Identify like terms.
12p3 + 8p3 + 11p2 Rearrange terms so that like
terms are together.
20p3 + 11p2 Combine like terms.
B. 5x2 – 6 – 3x + 8
5x2 – 6 – 3x + 8 Identify like terms.
Rearrange terms so that like
5x2 – 3x + 8 – 6
terms are together.
5x2 – 3x + 2 Combine like terms.
Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Example 1: Adding and Subtracting Monomials

Add or subtract.

C. t2 + 2s2 – 4t2 – s2
t2 + 2s2 – 4t2 – s2 Identify like terms.
t2 – 4t2 + 2s2 – s2 Rearrange terms so that
like terms are together.
–3t2 + s2 Combine like terms.
D. 10m2n + 4m2n – 8m2n
10m2n + 4m2n – 8m2n Identify like terms.
6m2n Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials

Remember!
Like terms are constants or terms with the same
variable(s) raised to the same power(s). To
review combining like terms, see lesson 1-7.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 1

Add or subtract.

a. 2s2 + 3s2 + s
2s2 + 3s2 + s Identify like terms.
5s2 + s Combine like terms.
b. 4z4 – 8 + 16z4 + 2
4z4 – 8 + 16z4 + 2 Identify like terms.
4z4 + 16z4 – 8 + 2 Rearrange terms so that
like terms are together.
20z4 – 6 Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 1

Add or subtract.

c. 2x8 + 7y8 – x8 – y8
Identify like terms.
2x + 7y – x – y
8 8 8 8
Rearrange terms so that
2x8 – x8 + 7y8 – y8 like terms are together.
x8 + 6y8 Combine like terms.

d. 9b3c2 + 5b3c2 – 13b3c2

9b3c2 + 5b3c2 – 13b3c2 Identify like terms.
b3c2 Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials

Polynomials can be added in either vertical or

horizontal form.
In vertical form, align In horizontal form, use the
the like terms and add: Associative and
Commutative Properties to
regroup and combine like
5x2 + 4x + 1
terms.
+ 2x2 + 5x + 2
7x2 + 9x + 3
(5x2 + 4x + 1) + (2x2 + 5x + 2)
= (5x2 + 2x2) + (4x + 5x) + (1 + 2)
= 7x2 + 9x + 3

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Example 2: Adding Polynomials
Add.
A. (4m2 + 5) + (m2 – m + 6)
(4m2 + 5) + (m2 – m + 6) Identify like terms.
(4m2 + m2) + (–m) +(5 + 6) Group like terms
together.
5m2 – m + 11 Combine like terms.
B. (10xy + x) + (–3xy + y)
(10xy + x) + (–3xy + y) Identify like terms.
(10xy – 3xy) + x + y Group like terms
together.
7xy + x + y Combine like terms.
Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Example 2C: Adding Polynomials
Add.
(6x2 – 4y) + (3x2 + 3y – 8x2 – 2y)

(6x2 – 4y) + (3x2 + 3y – 8x2 – 2y) Identify like terms.

Combine like terms in the

(6x2 – 4y) + (–5x2 + y)
second polynomial.

(6x2 –5x2) + (–4y + y)

Combine like terms.
x2 – 3y
Simplify.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Example 2D: Adding Polynomials
Add.

Identify like terms.

Group like terms

together.
Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 2

Add (5a3 + 3a2 – 6a + 12a2) + (7a3 – 10a).

(5a3 + 3a2 – 6a + 12a2) + (7a3 – 10a) Identify like terms.

(5a3 + 7a3) + (3a2 + 12a2) + (–10a – 6a) Group like terms

together.
12a3 + 15a2 – 16a Combine like terms

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials

To subtract polynomials, remember that

subtracting is the same as adding the
opposite. To find the opposite of a
polynomial, you must write the opposite of
each term in the polynomial:

–(2x3 – 3x + 7)= –2x3 + 3x – 7

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Example 3A: Subtracting Polynomials

Subtract.
(x3 + 4y) – (2x3)
(x3 + 4y) + (–2x3) Rewrite subtraction as addition
of the opposite.
(x3 + 4y) + (–2x3) Identify like terms.

(x3 – 2x3) + 4y Group like terms together.

–x3 + 4y Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Example 3B: Subtracting Polynomials

Subtract.

(7m4 – 2m2) – (5m4 – 5m2 + 8)

(7m4 – 2m2) + (–5m4 + 5m2 – 8) Rewrite subtraction as

addition of the opposite.
(7m4 – 2m2) + (–5m4 + 5m2 – 8) Identify like terms.

(7m4 – 5m4) + (–2m2 + 5m2) – 8 Group like terms

together.

2m4 + 3m2 – 8 Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Example 3C: Subtracting Polynomials

Subtract.
(–10x2 – 3x + 7) – (x2 – 9)

(–10x2 – 3x + 7) + (–x2 + 9) Rewrite subtraction as

addition of the opposite.
(–10x2 – 3x + 7) + (–x2 + 9) Identify like terms.
–10x2 – 3x + 7 Use the vertical method.
–x2 + 0x + 9 Write 0x as a placeholder.
–11x2 – 3x + 16 Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Example 3D: Subtracting Polynomials

Subtract.
(9q2 – 3q) – (q2 – 5)

(9q2 – 3q) + (–q2 + 5) Rewrite subtraction as

addition of the opposite.
(9q2 – 3q) + (–q2 + 5) Identify like terms.
Use the vertical method.
9q2 – 3q + 0 Write 0 and 0q as
+ − q2 – 0q + 5 placeholders.
8q2 – 3q + 5
Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 3

Subtract.
(2x2 – 3x2 + 1) – (x2 + x + 1)

(2x2 – 3x2 + 1) + (–x2 – x – 1) Rewrite subtraction as

addition of the opposite.
(2x2 – 3x2 + 1) + (–x2 – x – 1) Identify like terms.

–x2 + 0x + 1 Use the vertical method.

+ –x2 – x – 1 Write 0x as a placeholder.
–2x2 – x Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Example 4: Application
A farmer must add the areas of two plots of
land to determine the amount of seed to
plant. The area of plot A can be represented
by 3x2 + 7x – 5 and the area of plot B can be
represented by 5x2 – 4x + 11. Write a
polynomial that represents the total area of
both plots of land.

(3x2 + 7x – 5) Plot A.
+ (5x2 – 4x + 11) Plot B.
8x2 + 3x + 6 Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 4
The profits of two different
manufacturing plants can
be modeled as shown,
where x is the number of
units produced at each
plant.
Use the information above to write a polynomial
that represents the total profits from both plants.

–0.03x2 + 25x – 1500 Eastern plant profit.

+ –0.02x2 + 21x – 1700 Southern plant profit.
–0.05x2 + 46x – 3200 Combine like terms.

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Lesson Quiz: Part I

Add or subtract.

1. 7m2 + 3m + 4m2 11m2 + 3m

2. (r2 + s2) – (5r2 + 4s2) (–4r2 – 3s2)

3. (10pq + 3p) + (2pq – 5p + 6pq) 18pq – 2p

4. (14d2 – 8) + (6d2 – 2d +1) 20d2 – 2d – 7

5. (2.5ab + 14b) – (–1.5ab + 4b) 4ab + 10b

Holt Algebra 1
 6-4 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
Lesson Quiz: Part II

6. A painter must add the areas of two walls to

determine the amount of paint needed. The area
of the first wall is modeled by 4x2 + 12x + 9, and
the area of the second wall is modeled by
36x2 – 12x + 1. Write a polynomial that
represents the total area of the two walls.
40x2 + 10

Holt Algebra 1