Addition and Subtraction of Powers

Addition and subtraction of powers follow the same rules as algebraic expressions, $a^{b} + a^{b} = 2 a^{b}$ . You do the same if the power consists of numbers instead of a symbols.

Example 1

Calculate $3^{2} + 3^{2}$

You use what you have learned in algebra and get

3^{2} + 3^{2} = 2 \times 3^{2},

which is not the same as $6^{2} = 6 \times 6 = 36$ , but

2 \times \underset{3 \times 3}{\underset{︸}{3^{2}}} = 2 \times 9 = 18 .

Subtraction is the same: $\begin{array}{l} b^{2} - b^{2} & = 0, \\ - b^{2} - b^{2} & = - 2 b^{2} . \end{array}$

Want to know more?Sign UpIt's free!

Activities 2

Want to know more?Sign UpIt's free!

Activities 3