HELP I AM IN A BIND !!

[meliscool72]

c+32d^2-19c-20d^2 when ever i go to simply i get the 12d^2 but i do not understand c-19c what is the value of c suppose to be? if i use 1 i get -18c, which is incorrect in my text book. what am i doing wrong? it is suppose to be 12d^2-18c, but i don't see how.

[esmom304]

So, you're simplifying?  If so, you need to group the like terms (c, -19c; 32d^2, -20d^2).  Keep in mind that c means 1c.  So, you'd have (1c-19c)+(32d^2-20d^2)...or you could write it w/ the d^2's first, if you'd like, since addition commutes.  Simplify that, and you should have the same answer as the back of your book.  As for what the value of c is, in this given problem c represents every single possible value.  So, there is no specific value for c.

[SoupIsGoodFood]

you aren't doing anything wrong, simplify just means to basically solve for everything you can solve for (make the equation simpler)... you just put the 12d^2 and the -18c together to get 12d^2-18c. That's as far as you can go, since there are no other clues or an equals sign.

[meliscool72]

thanks i had a friend over that explained it to me. i think we just hired her...lol. she is awesome in algebra...i am finally caught up and waiting on my seminar, quiz, and test next week. if the number is positive you put a plus sign in place of it if it is a negative you just translage it as minus...i finally understand :D

Quoting SoupIsGoodFood:

you aren't doing anything wrong, simplify just means to basically solve for everything you can solve for (make the equation simpler)... you just put the 12d^2 and the -18c together to get 12d^2-18c. That's as far as you can go, since there are no other clues or an equals sign.