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Cornraker
Feb2-10, 11:26 AM
I know this is a dumb question but dumb questions are easier to fix than dumb mistakes so here goes.

Is 2x(x)= 3x

or 2x(x) = 2x^2

Tevion
Feb2-10, 11:51 AM
2x^2

Mark44
Feb2-10, 02:02 PM
I know this is a dumb question but dumb questions are easier to fix than dumb mistakes so here goes.

Is 2x(x)= 3x

or 2x(x) = 2x^2

2x(x) means 2*x*x, which can be written as 2x2, as Tevion stated. This could also be written as 2xx, but is usually not written that way.

In algebraic expressions, multiplication is not usually shown explicitly, while addition (and subtraction and division) always are shown explicitly. If two expressions are next to each other, with or without parentheses, the two expressions are understood to be multiplied.

2xy = 2*x*y.
3xy + 2x = 3*x*y + 2*x.
3(xy + 2x) = 3*(xy + 2x) = 3xy + 6x.
2x + x = x(2 + 1) = x(3) = 3x

HallsofIvy
Feb2-10, 03:18 PM
2x+ x= 3x

Cornraker
Feb2-10, 04:13 PM
thanks everybody