At 7:46, I would like to make sure that I have the correct answer for the "cliffhanger". Is it 20x^9 Thanks

Yes, you have the correct answer. Good job. Looks like they cut the video off too quickly.

Why are the exponents not multiplied?

x^a * x^b = x^a+b If you have 2^2 * 2^3 the correct answer is 32. If you multiplied the exponents you would get 64. Hope that explains it.

If you did something like 5x^7 * 5x^4 you would get 25x^11. However, in the video he did 5^2 * 5^4 and got 5^6. Why did he not multiply the co-efficients?

Because the coefficient in the latter case is 1. Imagine multiplying x^2*x^4, then substitute x=5

At 7:50, The answer for the problem 5x^4 * 4x^6 should be 20x^9 not 9x^18.

At 7:50, Sal clearly tells you that he is going to show you a *wrong* answer. He is showing common errors that students make to try and help you avoid them. And, FYI... your version: 5x^4 * 4x^6 = 20x^10, not 20x^9 Sal's problem: 5x^3 * 4x^6 does equal 20x^9

ok so in my math class we are multiplying, dividing, adding, and subtracting monomials. but exactly how do we find out what the answer will be if all the problems are related to polynomials? what even are polynomials?

polynomials are a series of monomials that are added or subtracted together. There are a few extra rules though. The powers of the variables must be positive whole numbers, so no negative powers and no fractions or decimals as powers. Also coefficients can be fractons or decimals, but if there is a variable in a denominator then it is not a polynomial any more. Technically monomials, binomials and trinomials are all kinds of polynomials. Also, if you have two terms in a polynomial that have the same variable to the same power, you need to combine it. so 5x^2 + 3x^2 would be 8x^2 As for how to solve them that is almost half a school year's worth of explanation. it will all be addressed on the site though. One concept that is invaluable is this. All polynomials can be written as a series of binomials multiplied together. so something like (x+2)(x-1) and so on. You will learn how to write them like this. But you really want to know how to solve them when they are like this. you will almost always have them equal to 0. so (x+2)(x-1) = 0 When you have this what happens if x was -2 or 1? well let's see. if x was -2 then (x+2)(x-1) = (-2+2)(-2-1) = 0*-3 = 0. Similarly if x = 1 then (x+2)(x-1) = 3*0 = 0. So when you have the binomials multiplied together you just need to remember that the answers are when each binomial is 0. ANother quick example. (x+2)(x-3)(x-5)(x-7) = 0 would have the answers -2, 3, 5 and 7. You should learn how to do all this as you go, but consider this a head start

I know how to do this part but I have an example on my homework like this: -3x(-2x^2 - 4x + 2) + 5 (x^2 - 12x) and I have no idea how to do it.

Follow PEMDAS rules 1) Use Distributive Property to eliminate the parentheses 2) Then combine like terms

Main content

Algebra 2

Course: Algebra 2 > Unit 1

Lesson 4: Multiplying monomials by polynomials

Multiplying monomials

Name: Multiplying monomials
Uploaded: 2016-04-20T03:24:53Z
Description: A monomial is an expression of the form k⋅xⁿ, where k is a real number and n is a positive integer. It's basically a polynomial with a single term. When were are multiplying two monomials, we can rewrite the product as a single monomial using properties of multiplication and exponents.

Google Classroom

A monomial is an expression of the form k⋅xⁿ, where k is a real number and n is a positive integer. It's basically a polynomial with a single term. When were are multiplying two monomials, we can rewrite the product as a single monomial using properties of multiplication and exponents.

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Adam H.
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Adam H.'s post “At 7:46, I would like to ...”
At
7:46
, I would like to make sure that I have the correct answer for the "cliffhanger". Is it 20x^9
Thanks
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Adam H.'s post “At 7:46, I would like to ...”
(37 votes)
Answer
- Kim Seidel
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Kim Seidel's post “Yes, you have the correct...”
  Yes, you have the correct answer. Good job. Looks like they cut the video off too quickly.
  Comment on Kim Seidel's post “Yes, you have the correct...”
  (23 votes)
Bob The Zealot
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Bob The Zealot's post “Why are the exponents not...”
Why are the exponents not multiplied?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Bob The Zealot's post “Why are the exponents not...”
(13 votes)
Answer
- ekudlanov
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to ekudlanov's post “x^a * x^b = x^a+b If you ...”
  x^a * x^b = x^a+b
  If you have 2^2 * 2^3 the correct answer is 32. If you multiplied the exponents you would get 64. Hope that explains it.
  Comment on ekudlanov's post “x^a * x^b = x^a+b If you ...”
  (25 votes)
mileswilson000
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to mileswilson000's post “If you did something like...”
If you did something like 5x^7 * 5x^4 you would get 25x^11. However, in the video he did 5^2 * 5^4 and got 5^6. Why did he not multiply the co-efficients?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on mileswilson000's post “If you did something like...”
(5 votes)
Answer
- Tung M. Nguyen
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Tung M. Nguyen's post “Because the coefficient i...”
  Because the coefficient in the latter case is 1. Imagine multiplying x^2*x^4, then substitute x=5
  Button navigates to signup page
  (5 votes)
Rohan SP
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Rohan SP's post “At 7:50, The answer for t...”
At
7:50
, The answer for the problem 5x^4 * 4x^6 should be 20x^9 not 9x^18.
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Rohan SP's post “At 7:50, The answer for t...”
(3 votes)
Answer
- Kim Seidel
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Kim Seidel's post “At 7:50, Sal clearly tell...”
  At
  7:50
  , Sal clearly tells you that he is going to show you a wrong answer. He is showing common errors that students make to try and help you avoid them.
  
  And, FYI... your version: 5x^4 * 4x^6 = 20x^10, not 20x^9
  Sal's problem: 5x^3 * 4x^6 does equal 20x^9
  Comment on Kim Seidel's post “At 7:50, Sal clearly tell...”
  (7 votes)
Emily Richmond
Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Emily Richmond's post “ok so in my math class we...”
ok so in my math class we are multiplying, dividing, adding, and subtracting monomials. but exactly how do we find out what the answer will be if all the problems are related to polynomials? what even are polynomials?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(3 votes)
Answer
- loumast17
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to loumast17's post “polynomials are a series ...”
  polynomials are a series of monomials that are added or subtracted together. There are a few extra rules though. The powers of the variables must be positive whole numbers, so no negative powers and no fractions or decimals as powers. Also coefficients can be fractons or decimals, but if there is a variable in a denominator then it is not a polynomial any more.
  
  Technically monomials, binomials and trinomials are all kinds of polynomials. Also, if you have two terms in a polynomial that have the same variable to the same power, you need to combine it. so 5x^2 + 3x^2 would be 8x^2
  
  As for how to solve them that is almost half a school year's worth of explanation. it will all be addressed on the site though.
  
  One concept that is invaluable is this. All polynomials can be written as a series of binomials multiplied together. so something like (x+2)(x-1) and so on. You will learn how to write them like this. But you really want to know how to solve them when they are like this.
  
  you will almost always have them equal to 0. so (x+2)(x-1) = 0
  
  When you have this what happens if x was -2 or 1? well let's see.
  
  if x was -2 then (x+2)(x-1) = (-2+2)(-2-1) = 0*-3 = 0.
  
  Similarly if x = 1 then (x+2)(x-1) = 3*0 = 0.
  
  So when you have the binomials multiplied together you just need to remember that the answers are when each binomial is 0.
  
  ANother quick example. (x+2)(x-3)(x-5)(x-7) = 0 would have the answers -2, 3, 5 and 7.
  
  You should learn how to do all this as you go, but consider this a head start
  Comment on loumast17's post “polynomials are a series ...”
  (2 votes)
Nigel Gunawardane
Posted 8 months ago. Direct link to Nigel Gunawardane's post “People are commenting abo...”
People are commenting about timestamps at
7:46
, but my video is only 3min and 15 sec?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(3 votes)
Answer
- Silver
  Posted 7 months ago. Direct link to Silver's post “Yes... this video was mor...”
  Yes... this video was more than 3 min... but now they had decided to change it to make shorter video to make students to understand it...
  P.S. Click Top Voted and look at @Kim Seidel what he said.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (1 vote)
winslow.trullinger
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to winslow.trullinger's post “What the student did wron...”
What the student did wrong is they added the 5 and the 4 instead of multiplying them and then multiplied the 3 and 6 instead of adding.
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(3 votes)
Answer
23more_vaidehi
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to 23more_vaidehi's post “At 7:35, for the cliffhan...”
At
7:35
, for the cliffhanger....is the right answer 20x^9?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
#MentalAbuseToHumans
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to #MentalAbuseToHumans's post “I know how to do this par...”
I know how to do this part but I have an example on my homework like this:
-3x(-2x^2 - 4x + 2) + 5 (x^2 - 12x) and I have no idea how to do it.
Button navigates to signup pageComment on #MentalAbuseToHumans's post “I know how to do this par...”
(2 votes)
Answer
- Kim Seidel
  Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Kim Seidel's post “Follow PEMDAS rules 1) U...”
  Follow PEMDAS rules
  1) Use Distributive Property to eliminate the parentheses
  2) Then combine like terms
  Comment on Kim Seidel's post “Follow PEMDAS rules 1) U...”
  (2 votes)
angper23
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to angper23's post “what if there was a negat...”
what if there was a negative in the equation ex:
(y^8)(-2y^2
Button navigates to signup pageComment on angper23's post “what if there was a negat...”
(2 votes)
Answer
- Victor
  Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Victor's post “You keep it there and you...”
  You keep it there and you use FOIL. I hope this helped!
  Comment on Victor's post “You keep it there and you...”
  (0 votes)

Video transcript

- [Instructor] Let's say that we wanted to multiply five x squared and, I'll do this in purple, three x to the fifth, what would this equal? Pause this video and see if you can reason through that a little bit. All right, now let's work through this together. And really, all we're going to do is use properties of multiplication and use properties of exponents to essentially rewrite this expression. So we can just view this, if we're just multiplying a bunch of things, it doesn't matter what order we multiply them in. So you can just view this as five times x squared times three times x to the fifth, or we could multiply our five and three first, so you could view this as five times three, times three, times x squared, times x squared, times x to the fifth, times x to the fifth. And now what is five times three? I think you know that, that is 15. Now what is x squared times x to the fifth? Now some of you might recognize that exponent properties would come into play here. If I'm multiplying two things like this, so we have the some base and different exponents, that this is going to be equal to x to the, and we add these two exponents, x to the two plus five power, or x to the seventh power. If what I just did seems counterintuitive to you I'll just remind you, what is x squared? x squared is x times x. And what is x to the fifth? That is x times x times x times x times x. And if you multiply them all together what do you get? Well you got seven x's and you multiply them all together and that is x to the seventh. And so there you have it, five x squared times three x to the fifth is 15x to the seventh power. So the key is, is look at these coefficients, look at these numbers, a five and a three, multiply those, and then for any variable you have, you have x here, so you have a common base, then you can add those exponents, and what we just did is known as multiplying monomials, which sounds very fancy, but this is a monomial, monomial, and in the future we'll do multiplying things like polynomials where we have multiple of these things added together. But that's all it is, multiplying monomials. Let's do one more example, and let's use a different variable this time, just to get some variety in there. Let's say we wanna multiply the monomial three t to the seventh power, times another monomial negative four t. Pause this video and see if you can work through that. All right, so I'm gonna do this one a little bit faster. I am going to look at the three and the negative four and I'm gonna multiply those first, and I'm going to get a negative 12. And then if I were to want to multiply the t to the seventh times t, once again they're both the variable t as our base, so that's going to be t to the seventh times t to the first power, that's what t is, that's going to be t to the seven plus one power, or t to the eighth. But there you go, we are done again, we just multiplied another set of monomials.