The next step in simplifying this expression is to identify which, if any, terms can be combined. Remember, only like terms — constant terms or terms with the same variable and the same exponent — can be combined.
- 3d^2 - 8 + 2d + 4d - 12 + d^2
We have three pairs of like terms: two d^2-terms, two d-terms, and two constants. To simplify the expression we will rearrange it according to the Commutative Property of Addition and then combine like terms.