Tips to Learn Basic Manipulation of Integers And Polynomials

Do you face difficulties to remember adding and subtracting integers and polynomials? Then this blog is meant for you.

Rules for adding and subtracting integers-

Rule 1: While adding integers with same signs, add the numbers and give same sign to your answer.

Positive Integer + Positive Integer = Positive Integer (when both integers are positive)

Negative Integer + Negative Integer = Negative Integer (when both integers are negative)

Rule 2: While adding integers with different signs, ignore the signs and find the difference. Give the sign of the larger integer to your answer.

Positive Integer + Negative Integer = use sign of larger of two integers and subtract two integers

Rule 3: While subtracting integers, change subtraction sign to addition and change the sign of second integer to opposite sign. Later follow rules for adding integers with different signs.

Positive Integer – Negative Integer = Positive Integer 

Negative Integer –Positive Integer = Negative Integer

Negative Integer – Negative Integer = Negative Integer +Positive Integer = Apply Rule 2

Rules for adding and subtracting polynomials -

The polynomials look like 2x² + 2xy – 9 or 4x² + 2x + 7. In both the polynomials, 2x² and 4x² are called like terms as they have same coefficients (x²). The basic rules to add and subtract polynomials work on like terms.

Rule 1: Learn and master to identify like terms

Rule 2: Line up like terms vertically up and down

Rule 3: Carry out addition and subtraction of like terms by applying adding and subtracting rules of integers (as described above).      

Remember adding and subtracting of polynomials the variables and exponents never change. Only the integer that you multiply with the coefficient gets changed.   

Try to solve problems of adding and subtracting of integers and polynomials like a puzzle. It would be really interesting to practice such problems.