How to simplify polynomials I can't figure out how to simplify this polynominal $$5x^2+3x^4-7x^3+5x+8+2x^2-4x+9-6x^2+7x$$
I tried combining like terms
$$5x^2+3x^4-7x^3+5x+8+2x^2-4x+9-6x^2+7x$$
$$(5x^2+5x)+3x^4-(7x^3+7x)+2x^2-4x-6x^2+(8+9)$$
$$5x^3+3x^4-7x^4+2x^2-4x-6x^2+17$$
It says the answer is $$3x^4-7x^3+x^2+8x+17$$ but how did they get it?

You cannot combine terms like that, you have to split your terms by powers of $x$.
So for example $$5x^2+5x+2x^2 = (5+2)x^2+5x = 7x^2+5x$$ and not $5x^3+2x^2$. Using this, you should end up with your answer.
