Objective A1.9: Add and subtract polynomials.

A-APR.A.1 Understand that polynomials form a system analogous to the integers, namely, they are closed under the
operations of addition, subtraction, and multiplication; add, subtract, and multiply polynomials.

A1.9 Fellow Implementation Notes & Key

Key Points
(1) To add polynomials, combine like terms.
(2) To subtract polynomials, distribute -1 to each term of the second polynomial, then combine like
terms.

Lesson Overview
Students will add and subtract polynomials.

Potential Misconceptions Tutoring Strategies Checks for Understanding

When subtracting polynomials,
students may drop parentheses
without distributing the subtraction
sign to all terms.
Encourage students to write in -1 and
draw arrows from -1 to each term in the
parentheses as shown below.
• How can we rewrite the
second expression to
make the negative we are
distributing more
obvious?

When adding or subtracting
polynomials, students may try to
combine terms that are not like
terms.
Encourage students to rewrite • How many terms are in
polynomials in standard form and to the original problem?
write placeholders for missing terms. How many terms are in
For example, write 0m2 in the first
the answer? Why are
group if given the expression
(4m3 – 3m + 1) – (2 – m2 + m) these different?

Differentiation strategy: Students can line the polynomials up as a vertical subtraction or addition
problem if they prefer as shown below.
4m3 + 0m2 – 3m + 1
– -m2 + m + 2
4m3 + m2 – 4m – 1

Key terms (English, Spanish): add, subtract, sum, difference, simplify, polynomial, like terms, distribute

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 1 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
 ELL/EML Supports
Definitions & examples Difference (the result of subtracting two or more numbers)
Sum (the result of adding two or more numbers)
7 + 3 = 10 • Identify the sum.
13 – 5 = 8 • Identify the difference.

Note The word simplify may be confusing for some students. You may want to
show some examples to demonstrate the meaning of simplify.

Synonym Justify (show mathematically)

Sentence frames/starters To simplify this expression, first I… Then I…

This expression (can/cannot) be simplified further. I know this because…
I can combine the terms…

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 2 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
Background Skills/Do Now
(See Lesson A1.2 Combine Like Terms) (See Lesson A1.3 Distributive Property)
1. Combine like terms to simplify. 2. Distribute, then simplify.

3x2 + 7m – 8m2x + 4x2 – m 4y – (5 – y)

7x2 – 8m2x + 6m 4y – 5 + y = 5y – 5

3. Review From Yesterday 4. Spiral Review

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 3 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
Opening Critical Thinking Task
Purpose of the opening task: Relate adding polynomials to combining like terms and subtracting
polynomials to distributing a "-1" then combining like terms.

1. Are the parentheses necessary in the following expressions?

3 + (4 + 5) yes no
x(x + y) yes no
(4 – x) + 6 yes no
4 – (x + 6) yes no
(3n – 1) + (6n + 1) yes no
(5 + n) – (7 – n) yes no

2. Explain when parentheses are necessary in an expression.

Answers will vary. Sample response: When there is a term outside the parentheses being multiplied, when a term needs to
be distributed, or when polynomials are subtracted

3. Remove the parentheses (if they are unnecessary) and combine like terms.
(4p + 3) + (7p – 1)
11p + 2
• If we switched the order we added the polynomials to (7p – 1) + (4p + 3), would the answer change?

4. Distribute first in order to remove the parentheses, then combine like terms.
(3h2 – 6h + 1) – (h2 + 2h + 9)
2h2 – 8h – 8
• What coefficient needs to be distributed?
• If we switched the order the polynomials are subtracted to (h 2 + 2h + 9) – (3h2 – 6h + 1), would the
answer change? Why?

CTT to Example Connection: When we subtract polynomials, we need to remember to distribute the -1
to each term in the second polynomial.
• When we subtract polynomials, what do we distribute? -1
• What words indicate we need to subtract? Difference, less than, minus

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 4 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
Example 1
Find the difference of 4m3 – 3m + 1 Set up and solve subtraction of polynomials
Purpose of Example:
and 2 – m2 + m. Write your answer where term degrees do not align
in standard form.
Tutoring Strategies
(4m3 – 3m + 1) – (2 – m2 + m) Have students set up the subtraction problem any way they’d
4m3 – 3m + 1 – 2 + m2 – m like. If they set it up in the second way shown, make sure
4m3 + m2 – 4m – 1 they have inserted a 0m2 placeholder. Students can also put
terms in standard form first or wait until the end. Do not limit
OR students on the way they choose to solve and discuss varying
solving methods.
4m3 + 0m2 – 3m + 1 • Does order matter when we set up the problem? Why?
- -m2 + m + 2 • What does subtraction mean we need to distribute over the
4m + m2 – 4m – 1
3
second polynomial?
o If we set up our problem as a vertical subtraction
problem, do we need to distribute? Could we?
• How else could we solve this problem?
• How many terms are in the original problem? How many in
the answer? Why are these different?
• Can we put our two polynomials in standard form first?
Could we add them first then do it? What are the
advantages of each?

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 5 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
Practice Problems
Level 1
1. a) The sum of 8x2 – x + 4 and x – 5 is 2. a) Simplify each expression by adding.
A. 8x2 + 9 i. (x2 + x + 2) + (3x2 + x + 1)
B. 8x2 – 1 ii. (x + 2 + x2) + (1 + 3x2 + x)
C. 8x2 – 2x + 9 iii. x2 + x + 2 + 3x2 + x + 1
D. 8x2 – 2x – 1 4x2 + 2x + 3

b) Why is there no linear term in the solution?
-x and x cancel out, eliminating the term with degree one
b) How are the 3 expressions above different?
How are they similar?
i and ii are written as the sum of two polynomials, where
the terms in the polynomials are written in different orders.
iii is written as the sum of 6 separate terms, more like a
combining like terms problem. All problems result in the
same answer, showing adding polynomials is the same
process as combining like terms.

3. a) What is the sum of (4x – 1) and (7x – 5)? 4. a) Mariah has 4x pieces of fruit and Priyanka
(4x – 1) + (7x – 5) has (-5x + 12) pieces of fruit. How much fruit do
11x – 6 they have total, in terms of x?
4x + (-5x + 12) = -x + 12
b) What is the difference of the two They have (-x + 12) pieces of fruit.
polynomials?
(4x – 1) – (7x – 5) Challenge b) What is a possible valid value of x, in
-3x + 4 context? What is an impossible value? Explain.
x could only be 0, 1, or 2 because it would make both
Mariah and Priyanka have a whole number value of fruit.
Any negative value for x would cause Mariah to have
negative pieces of fruit, and any value ≥ 3 would cause
Priyanka to have negative pieces of fruit.

5. (4x3 + 6x2 + 2x – 3) + (3x3 + 3x2 – 5x – 5) is 6. a) Simplify each statement and write your
equivalent to: answer in standard form.
1 3 1 6 2
i. (2 x2 + 4 x + 7) – (5 x + 7)
A. 7x3 + 3x2 – 3x – 8 1 2 9 1
B. 7x3 + 3x2 + 7x + 2 x – x–
2 20 7
C. 7x3 + 9x2 – 3x – 8
D. 7x6 + 9x4 – 3x2 – 8 ii. (6p3 + p – 1) – (2p2 + 6p4)
-6p4 + 6p3 – 2p2 + p – 1

iii. (0.4y + 2.1y2) + (3.1y2 + 0.6y)

5.2y2 + y

b) Explain what you notice in part ii.

There are no like terms to combine.

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 6 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
 Level 2
7. a) What is the difference of (7x – 2) and 8. a) Add (2xy – 2x + y) + (xy – x).
(2y – 4)? A. 2y
(7x – 2) – (2y – 4) = 7x – 2y + 2 B. 3y
C. 3xy – 3x + y
b) Fania got 5x + 2 as her answer. What mistake D. 2x2y2 – 2x2 + y
did she make?
She didn’t notice the variable in the second polynomial is y b) What would the answer be if the two
instead of x, so mistakenly combined 7x and 2x. polynomials were subtracted instead of added?
xy – x + y

9. Simplify the expression by subtracting. 10. a) Simplify the expression by subtracting.

(x3 + 2x2 + 3x – 2) – (2x3 – x2 – 4)
(5x3 + 3xz2 – 17z) – (4xz2 + 5z – 2x3) A. -x + x2 + 3x – 6
3

B. -x3 + 3x2 + 3x + 2
7x3 – xz2 – 22z C. 2x3 – 2x2 + 3x – 2
D. 2x6 + x4 + 3x – 6
E. -x6 + 3x4 + 3x + 2

b) What mistake was made to get answer choice

E?
The exponents were added when the terms were
combined. When we combine like terms, we only
add/subtract the coefficients.

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 7 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
 11. a) For all x, 12. a) Simplify the expression.
(10x4 – x2 + 2x – 8) – (3x4 + 3x3 + 2x + 8) = ? 1 3 2 1
A. 7x4 – 3x3 – x2 – 1 ( ab2 + a2 b) + ( ab2 – a2 b)
2 4 5 3
B. 7x4 – 4x2 – 16 9 2 13 2
A. 10 ab + 12 a b
C. 7x4 + 3x3 – x2 + 4x
1 2 1
D. 7x4 + 2x2 + 4x B. 2 ab + 4 a2 b
E. 13x4 + 3x3 – x2 + 4x 5 1
C. 4 ab2 + a2 b
15
9 5
D. 10 ab2 + a2 b
12
b) What mistake was made to get answer choice
E?
1 2 3 1
Terms were added instead of subtracted. ( + ) ab2 + ( – ) a2 b
2 5 4 3
5 4 2 9 4 2
( + ) ab + ( – )a b
10 10 12 12

b) What is the degree of your solution? Explain.

Both terms have degree 3, so the polynomials has degree
3. We calculate this by adding the exponents, and
1 + 2 = 3 or 2 + 1 = 3.

13. a) (4a + 4) subtracted from (6a – 12) is 14. Amelia made a mistake while solving. What
equivalent to which of the following? did she do wrong?
A. 2(a + 2)
B. 2(a + 4) Find the difference of (x2 + 3x) and (y2 + 1).
C. 2(a – 2)
D. 2(a – 4) (x2 + 3x) – (y2 + 1)
E. 2(a – 8) x2 + 3x – y2 + 1
6a – 12 – (4a + 4) = 2a – 16 = 2(a – 8)
Amelia did not distribute the negative to the constant 1 in
b) What if the variable in the second polynomial the second polynomial.
were b instead of a? How would this change the
answer?
We would not be able to combine the linear terms.
Instead, we would have 6b – 12 – (4a + 4) =
6b – 4a – 16, which is equivalent to 2(3b – 2a – 8), if we
factor out the common factor.

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 8 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
 15. Carlos finds the difference between the two 16. Darius correctly solves the problem. Fill in
polynomials. Did he do it correctly? If so, justify the blanks to complete his work.
his answer. If not, explain and correct his
mistake. Subtract (8x + 4y + 6) from (2x + 7 – y)

(x2 + 2x – 1) – (3x + 5) (2x + 7 – y) – (8x + 4y + 6)

2x + 7 – y – 8x – 4y - 6
= -2x2 – x – 6 2x – 8x – y – 4y + 7 - 6 . .

-6 x – 5y + 1 .
No, Carlos combined -3 with both x2 and 2x. Most likely
.

he was confused by the second polynomial not having a

quadratic term. The correct solution is
x2 + 2x – 1 – 3x – 5 = x2 – x – 6.

17. Two girls simplified (2n2 – 3n) + 18. Hasan incorrectly added 6x2 + 2x + 1 and
(6 – 4n2 + 3n) and wrote their answers in 3x2 + 4. Explain this mistake he made in his work
standard form. Compare and critique their below.
solving methods. Are both methods valid?
Which do you prefer? 6x2 + 2x + 1

Alicia: 2n2 – 3n + 6 – 4n2 + 3n + 3x2 + 4

2n2 – 4n2 – 3n + 3n + 6 6x2 + 5x + 5
-2n2 + 6
Hasan did not add like terms. He did not line his terms up
vertically. Instead, 3x2 should be under 6x2 so these like
Harlow: 2n2 – 3n + 0 terms are added. A placeholder of + 0x can be placed
+ -4n2 + 3n + 6 under 2x to help avoid this mistake.
-2n2 + 0 + 6 = -2n2 + 6

Answers will vary. Sample response:

Both methods are valid and the two girls both arrived at
the correct answer. I prefer Harlow’s method because it is
more visual, which helps me process the problem.

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 9 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
 19. Kendra solved and classified. Did she do it 20. a) Simplify: (2x2 + 3x) – (4 – x2) + (-3x – 2).
correctly? If so, justify her answer. If not, A. x2 – 6
explain and correct her mistake. B. 3x2 – 6
C. 3x2 + 6x – 6
(x2 + 4x – 1) – (x2 + 7x + 8) D. x2 + 6x – 2

x2 + 4x – 1 – x2 – 7x – 8 b) Classify your answer.

-3x – 9 Quadratic binomial
linear binomial

Yes. Kendra correctly distributed the negative to the

second polynomial and correctly combined terms. The
polynomial is degree 1 with two terms, so it is a linear
binomial.

21. Simplify each expression by either adding or 22. Lennie simplified the expression and put
subtracting. their answer in standard form. Did they do it
correctly? Explain.
1 1 1
a) (3 m2 + m) – (2 m + 2) + (m2 – 3)
4 2 1 7 (n – 2n2) – (3 + n) + (-n2 + 1)
m + m –
3 2 3
n – 2n2 – 3 – n + n2 – 1
b) (0.13xy2 – 0.79xy) – (0.99yx – 0.81xy2) -n2 – 4
0.94xy2 – 1.78xy
No, Lennie incorrectly distributed the negative to (3 + n)
and (-n2 + 1) when it should have only been distributed to
the polynomial directly behind it. The correct solution is:
n – 2n2 – 3 – n – n2 + 1
-3n2 – 2

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 10 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
 Level 3
23. Create two different polynomial expression 24. Find the sum of the perimeter and the area,
that sum to 3x – 1. in terms of x and y.
Answers will vary. Sample response:
(2x + 5) + (x – 6)
(4x2 + 3x + 2) + (–4x2 – 3)
25. Melisa writes a cubic polynomial expression
with one variable, y. Damien writes a trinomial
with degree 4 using only one variable, y.
a) What can you determine about the degree of
the sum of the two polynomials?
The resulting polynomial will be degree 4, because the
term degree 4 is the largest degree and has no way of
canceling during the addition process.
Example:
(2y3 + 7) + (3y4 – 8y3 + 1)
3y4 – 6y3 + 8
b) What can you determine about the degree of
the difference of the two polynomials?
The resulting polynomial will be degree 4, for the same
reason as in part a).
Example:
(3y4 – 8y3 + 1) – (2y3 + 7)
3y4 – 10y3 – 6
Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials
© 2019 Saga Education
P = (3x2 + y3) + (3x2 + y3) + 3y3 + 3y3
= 6x2 + 2y3 + 6y3 = 6x2 + 8y3
A = 3y3(3x2 + y3) = 9x2y3 + 3y6
P + A = 3y6 + 9x2y3 + 6x2 + 8y3
26. Melisa and Damien both write polynomials
degree 8 using only one variable, n.
a) What can you determine about the degree of
the sum of their polynomials?
The resulting polynomial will be degree 8, or less. If the
lead coefficients of two polynomials are opposites, the
degree 8 term will cancel.
Example degree 8:
(5n8 – 7) + (3n8 + 4) = 8n8 – 3
Example not degree 8:
(4n8 + 6) + (-4n8 – n) = -n + 6
b) What can you determine about the degree of
the difference of Melisa’s and Damien’s
polynomials?
The resulting polynomial will be degree 8, or less. If the
lead coefficients of two polynomials are the same, the
degree 8 term will cancel.
Example degree 8:
(5n8– 7) – (3n8 + 4) = 2n8 – 11
Example not degree 8:
(4n8 + 6) – (4n8 – n) = 6 + n
Page 11 of 13
 27. Will a degree 3 polynomial added to a degree 28. Kelvin and Sunny each have a quadratic
2 polynomial always result in a degree 3 trinomial. The sum of their two polynomials is 0.
polynomial? Justify your answer. The difference of their two polynomials is
4x2 + 6x – 8. What are possible polynomials
Yes. In order for the answer to not be degree 3, the degree Kelvin and Sunny could have? Explain.
3 term would have to cancel. There is no way to cancel
the degree 3 term in the first polynomial if there isn’t a They must have 2x2 + 3x – 4 and –2x2 – 3x + 4. In order
degree 3 term in the second polynomial. For example, (x3 for the sum to be zero, all terms must cancel, so
+ x2) + (-x2 + 1) = x3 + 1, shows we can get the quadratic coefficients must be opposites. Looking at the quadratic
terms to cancel, but the cubic term remains making the term algebraically, if Kelvin’s polynomial has the quadratic
result degree 3 (cubic). term ax2, then Sunny’s must have the quadratic term –ax2.
If this is the case and the difference is 4x2 + 6x – 8, we
can calculate that the coefficients of one polynomial are
half the coefficients of the difference. Looking at the
quadratic term algebraically, if ax2 – (-ax2) = 2ax2 = 4x2,
then a = 2.

Challenge
29. a) Explain how the following two problems 30. Simplify each expression.
are similar.
4x2 + 8x + 9 a) 2(x2 + 3x + 2) + 6x(x – 4)
2
– 2x + 3x + 7 2x2 + 6x + 4 + 6x2 – 24x
8x2 – 18x + 4
489
-237 b) 2y(3x + 3y) – x(-2y + x)
6xy + 6y2 + 2xy – x2
Both problems have similar terms lined up vertically. In 8xy – x2 + 6y2
the first problem, the like terms have the same variables
to the same exponents. In the second problem, we can
think of the place values as being like terms. For example,
we subtract the 7 in the unit place in the first number
from the 9 in the unit place of the second number.
Organizing in this method can help visually subtract in
both problems.

b) What expression would be similar to the

problem 732 – 503? Explain your reasoning.
(7x2 + 3x + 2) – (5x2 + 3)
When we write polynomials, we do not need the 0
placeholder as we do with place values in constants, so
when we relate 503 to 5x2 + 0x + 3, we can simplify to
5x2 + 3. Using this 0 placeholder can help us remember
no term can be combined with 3x.

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 12 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education
Ticket To Leave
1. Find the difference between 3x + 1 and 2. Simplify the expression below. Write your
4x – 1. Write your answer in standard form. answer in standard form.

(3x + 1) – (4x – 1) = –x + 2 (4m3 + m2) – (m2 + 1) + (6m2 + 5)

4m3 + 6m2 + 4

3. Fellow’s Choice 4. Fellow’s Choice

Lesson A1.9 Add & Subtract Polynomials Page 13 of 13

© 2019 Saga Education