Which of the following best describes the expression [tex]3x + 2y + 8z[/tex]?

A. The product of three sums; there are three terms.
B. The sum of three products; there are three terms.
C. The product of three sums; there are six terms.
D. The sum of three products; there are six terms.



Answer :

To describe the expression [tex]\( 3x + 2y + 8z \)[/tex] accurately, let's break down each part:

1. Identify the Terms:
- The expression [tex]\( 3x + 2y + 8z \)[/tex] is composed of three distinct terms:
- [tex]\( 3x \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( 2y \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( 8z \)[/tex]

2. Examine Each Term:
- Each term is a product of a numerical coefficient and a variable:
- [tex]\( 3x \)[/tex] is the product of 3 and [tex]\( x \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( 2y \)[/tex] is the product of 2 and [tex]\( y \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( 8z \)[/tex] is the product of 8 and [tex]\( z \)[/tex]

3. Sum of Products:
- These products are being added together. Hence, we are summing the products.
- Therefore, the structure of the expression is "the sum of three products."

4. Count the Number of Terms:
- We've identified three distinct terms in this expression.

Considering all of the above points, the best description for the expression [tex]\( 3x + 2y + 8z \)[/tex] is:

The sum of three products; there are three terms

Thus, the correct option is the second one:
- The sum of three products; there are three terms