From Förberedande kurs i matematik 1

Instead of multiplying together the whole expression, and then reading off the coefficients, we investigate which terms from the three brackets together give terms in x¹ and x².

If we start with the term in x, we see that there is only one combination of a term from each bracket which, when multiplied, gives x¹,

\displaystyle (\underline{x}-x^{3}+x^{5})(\underline{1}+3x+5x^{2})(\underline{2}-7x^{2}-x^{4}) = \cdots + \underline{x\cdot 1\cdot 2} + \cdots

so, the coefficient in front of x is \displaystyle 1\cdot 2 = 2\,.

As for x², we also have only one possible combination

\displaystyle (\underline{x}-x^{3}+x^{5})(1+\underline{3x}+5x^{2})(\underline{2}-7x^{2}-x^{4}) = \cdots + \underline{x\cdot 3x\cdot 2} + \cdots

The coefficient in front of x² is \displaystyle 3\cdot 2 = 6\,.