A rational number (or fraction) is represented as a ratio between two integers, a and b, and has the form \({a \over b}\) where a is the numerator and b is the denominator. An improper fraction (\({5 \over 3} \)) has a numerator with a greater absolute value than the denominator and can be converted into a mixed number (\(1 {2 \over 3} \)) which has a whole number part and a fractional part.

To add or subtract terms with exponents, both the base and the exponent must be the same. In this case they are so add the coefficients and retain the base and exponent:

2a⁵ + 6a⁵
(2 + 6)a⁵
8a⁵

If the tiger has consumed 99 pounds of food in 9 days that's \( \frac{99}{9} \) = 11 pounds of food per day. The tiger needs to consume 154 - 99 = 55 more pounds of food to reach 154 pounds total. At 11 pounds of food per day that's \( \frac{55}{11} \) = 5 more days.

A factor is a positive integer that divides evenly into a given number. For example, the factors of 8 are 1, 2, 4, and 8.

The factors of a number are all positive integers that divide evenly into the number. The factors of 20 are 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20.