You can only add or subtract monomials that have the same variable and the same exponent. For example, 2a + 4a = 6a and 4a² - a² = 3a² but 2a + 4b and 7a - 3b cannot be combined. However, you can multiply and divide monomials with unlike terms. For example, 2a x 6b = 12ab.

To multiply monomials, multiply the coefficients (the numbers that come before the variables) of each term, add the exponents of like variables, and multiply the different variables together.

(3a)(9ab) + (3a²)(2b)
(3 x 9)(a x a x b) + (3 x 2)(a² x b)
(27)(a¹⁺¹ x b) + (6)(a²b)
27a²b + 6a²b
33a²b

An equation is two expressions separated by an equal sign. The key to solving equations is to repeatedly do the same thing to both sides of the equation until the variable is isolated on one side of the equal sign and the answer on the other.

To multiply monomials, multiply the coefficients (the numbers that come before the variables) of each term, add the exponents of like variables, and multiply the different variables together.

8a x 7b = (8 x 7) (a x b) = 56ab

To find the diagonal we need to know the length of one of the square's sides. We know the area and the area of a square is the length of one side squared:

a = s²

so the length of one side of the square is:

s = \( \sqrt{a} \) = \( \sqrt{16} \) = 4

The Pythagorean theorem defines the square of the hypotenuse (diagonal) of a triangle with a right angle as the sum of the squares of the other two sides:

c² = a² + b²
c² = 4² + 4²
c² = 32
c = \( \sqrt{32} \) = \( \sqrt{16 x 2} \) = \( \sqrt{16} \) \( \sqrt{2} \)
c = 4\( \sqrt{2} \)