What Axioms Justify the Simplification of Polynomial Expressions?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the axioms that justify the simplification of polynomial expressions, specifically the associative and commutative properties of addition, as well as the distributive property. Participants clarify that the expression $\displaystyle \left(x^2+2x+5\right)+\left(x^2+3x+1\right)$ can be simplified to $\left(1+1\right)x^2+\left(2+3\right)x+\left(5+1\right)$ by applying these axioms. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding these foundational properties to manipulate polynomial expressions effectively.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of associative property of addition
  • Knowledge of commutative property of addition
  • Familiarity with the distributive property
  • Basic algebraic manipulation of polynomial expressions
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the associative property of addition in detail
  • Learn about the commutative property of addition
  • Explore the distributive property with examples
  • Practice simplifying polynomial expressions using these axioms
USEFUL FOR

Students, educators, and anyone involved in algebra who seeks to deepen their understanding of polynomial simplification and the underlying axioms that govern algebraic operations.

paulmdrdo1
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in this problem we drop the use of parentheses when this step is justified by associative axioms. thus we write $\displaystyle x^2+2x+3\,\,instead\,\,of\,\,\left(x^2+2x\right)+3\,or\,x^2+\left(2x+3\right)$. tell what axioms justify the statement:

1. $\displaystyle \left(x^2+2x+5\right)+\left(x^2+3x+1\right)\,=\, \left(1+1\right)x^2+\left(2+3\right)x+ \left(5+1\right)$

i don't understand the question.
 
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paulmdrdo said:
in this problem we drop the use of parentheses when this step is justified by associative axioms. thus we write $\displaystyle x^2+2x+3\,\,instead\,\,of\,\,\left(x^2+2x\right)+3\,or\,x^2+\left(2x+3\right)$. tell what axioms justify the statement:

1. $\displaystyle \left(x^2+2x+5\right)+\left(x^2+3x+1\right)\,=\, \left(1+1\right)x^2+\left(2+3\right)x+ \left(5+1\right)$

i don't understand the question.
You first have to prove: (a + b) + c = a + (b + c) = a + b + c. (I'm assuming the final form is meant to suggest addition of the terms in any order.)

Then for problem 1 use the above result to remove the parenthesis, use commutivity of addition to rearrange the terms, then use the distributive property to factor.

-Dan
 
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why did you use associativity of addition?
 
i still don't understand what the question means.
 
paulmdrdo said:
i still don't understand what the question means.
I'm assuming that if the addition is associative and commutative then we can show
(a + b) + c = (a + c) + b = (b + c) + a ... = a + b + c because we can show that order doesn't matter. So we simply call it a + b + c.

The problem is asking you to use this to remove the parenthesis in the following:
(x^2 + 2x + 5) + (x^2 + 3x + 1) = x^2 + 2x + 5 + x^2 + 3x + 1

To get to the final form you can use commutivity to rearrange the terms, then use the distributive property to factor them to the final form.

-Dan
 
paulmdrdo said:
tell what axioms justify the statement:

1. $\displaystyle \left(x^2+2x+5\right)+\left(x^2+3x+1\right)\,=\, \left(1+1\right)x^2+\left(2+3\right)x+ \left(5+1\right)$

i don't understand the question.
The answer to this question should be a list of axioms. The axioms in question are used in a proof of the equality above. Roughly speaking, a proof in this case is a chain of expressions $E_1=E_2=\dots=E_n$ where each $E_i$ has some subexpression $e$, $E_{i+1}$ is obtained from $E_i$ by replacing $e$ with $e'$ and $e=e'$ or $e'=e$ is an instance of an axiom of real numbers. For example, a proof may start with \[(x^2 + 2x + 5) + (x^2 + 3x + 1)=(1\cdot x^2 + 2x + 5) + (x^2 + 3x + 1)\]Here $E_1$ is $(x^2 + 2x + 5) + (x^2 + 3x + 1)$, $e$ is $x^2$ and $e'$ is $1\cdot x^2$. The axiom used here is $1\cdot x=x$ for all $x$, and $1\cdot x^2=x^2$ is its instance.

So you need to list all axioms that are used in the chain of equalities \[(x^2+2x+5)+(x^2+3x+1)=\dots=(1+1)x^2+(2+3)x+ (5+1)\]
 

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