To combine like terms, add or subtract the coefficients (the numbers that come before the variables) of terms that have the same variable raised to the same exponent.

2a³ - 9a³ = -7a³

A rectangle is a parallelogram containing four right angles. Opposite sides (a = c, b = d) are equal and the perimeter is the sum of the lengths of all sides (a + b + c + d) or, comonly, 2 x length x width. The area of a rectangle is length x width. A square is a rectangle with four equal length sides. The perimeter of a square is 4 x length of one side (4s) and the area is the length of one side squared (s²).

A monomial contains one term, a binomial contains two terms, and a polynomial contains more than two terms.

Parallel lines are lines that share the same slope (steepness) and therefore never intersect. A transversal occurs when a set of parallel lines are crossed by another line. All of the angles formed by a transversal are called interior angles and angles in the same position on different parallel lines equal each other (a° = w°, b° = x°, c° = z°, d° = y°) and are called corresponding angles. Alternate interior angles are equal (a° = z°, b° = y°, c° = w°, d° = x°) and all acute angles (a° = c° = w° = z°) and all obtuse angles (b° = d° = x° = y°) equal each other. Same-side interior angles are supplementary and add up to 180° (e.g. a° + d° = 180°, d° + c° = 180°).

To solve this equation, repeatedly do the same thing to both sides of the equation until the variable is isolated on one side of the > sign and the answer on the other.

-3a + 1 > \( \frac{a}{-8} \)
-8 x (-3a + 1) > a
(-8 x -3a) + (-8 x 1) > a
24a - 8 > a
24a - 8 - a > 0
24a - a > 8
23a > 8
a > \( \frac{8}{23} \)
a > \(\frac{8}{23}\)