## Basic algebra question

Simplify $-d^2+[9d+(2-4d^2)]$

$-d^2+[9d+(2-4d^2)]$

$d^2[-9d-2+4d^2]$

$d^2+4d^2-9d-2$

$5d^2-9d-2$

but wolfram says the answer is

$-5d^2-9d+2$

What did I do wrong?

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 Quote by uperkurk Simplify $-d^2+[9d+(2-4d^2)]$ $-d^2+[9d+(2-4d^2)]$ $d^2[-9d-2+4d^2]$
Here is your error- first, you have dropped the "+" in front of the "[" but that may be just a typo- more importantly you have distributed the "-" in front of $d^2$ into the $[9d+(2- 4d^2)$. Where you were supposed to have -A+ B, you have A- B.

 $d^2+4d^2-9d-2$ $5d^2-9d-2$ but wolfram says the answer is $-5d^2-9d+2$ What did I do wrong?
 −d2+[9d+(2−4d2)] −d2+9d+2−4d2 -5d2 + 9d − 2

Mentor

## Basic algebra question

Without any indication that the 2 in d2 is an exponent, what you have here is close to meaningless.
 Quote by marie.phd −d2+[9d+(2−4d2)] −d2+9d+2−4d2 -5d2 + 9d − 2
At a minimum, use ^ to indicate exponents, and = for expressions that are equal, like this:

-d^2 + [9d + (2 − 4d^2)]
= -d^2 + 9d + 2 - 4d^2
= -5d^2 + 9d + 2

Even better is to write exponents that actually look like exponents, using the exponent feature that is available when you click Go advanced.

-5d2 + 9d + 2

Recognitions:
Gold Member
 Quote by uperkurk Simplify $-d^2+[9d+(2-4d^2)]$ $-d^2+[9d+(2-4d^2)]$
$-d^2- 4d^2= -5d^2$
 $d^2[-9d-2+4d^2]$ $d^2+4d^2-9d-2$ $5d^2-9d-2$ but wolfram says the answer is $-5d^2-9d+2$ What did I do wrong?