Is there a way to simplify x-x-x?

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In summary, the conversation discusses various methods of simplifying expressions involving subtraction. It is mentioned that multiplication is a simplification of addition and division is a simplification of subtraction. The use of exponents is suggested as a simpler way to subtract a number multiple times. Finally, the conversation ends with a thank you for the help provided.
  • #1
eNathan
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Is there a way to simply x-x-x? I know that x+x+x can by simplifed as 3x, but what about subtraction? One would think that if multiplication is just a simplification of addition, then indeed, division is just a simplification of subtraction. I need to know this for an equation I have to make for a software :rofl: like always

Any help? x-x-x :rolleyes:
 
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  • #2
Sure, what does x - x equal? :wink: Also, x - x = x + (-x). And notice that -x = (-1)*x.
 
  • #3
It seems that I can just use exponents for this, so let me ask this insead.

I want to subtract m from x n amount of times. Let's say n = 5, m = 10, and x = 26.

x - 26-26-26-26-26

Isnt their a simpler way?
 
  • #4
x - 26-26-26-26-26 = x - 5*26

x-x-x = -x
 
  • #5
Ok, I got it all down.

m -x-x-x-x = m-(4x)

Thx a lot! :}
 

1. How do I simplify x-x-x?

To simplify x-x-x, you can combine like terms by adding or subtracting the coefficients. In this case, x has a coefficient of 1, so it can be written as 1x. When we have x-x, we can simplify it to 0 because the coefficients are the same and we can subtract them. Therefore, x-x-x can be simplified to 0.

2. Can I simplify x-x-x to just x?

No, x-x-x cannot be simplified to just x. As mentioned before, x-x-x simplifies to 0, not x. This is because the coefficients in each term are being subtracted from each other, resulting in a value of 0.

3. What if the coefficients in x-x-x are different?

If the coefficients in x-x-x are different, then you cannot simplify it any further. For example, if we have 2x-3x-4x, we cannot combine the coefficients or simplify it to 0 because they are not like terms. This expression would be written as -5x.

4. Can I use the distributive property to simplify x-x-x?

No, the distributive property cannot be used to simplify x-x-x. The distributive property is used to multiply a term by a set of parentheses, but in this case, we are subtracting terms. The distributive property only works for multiplication, not subtraction.

5. Is x-x-x the same as x3?

No, x-x-x is not the same as x3. x-x-x is a subtraction of three x terms, resulting in 0, while x3 is a variable raised to the power of 3. These two expressions are not equal and cannot be simplified to each other.

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