Combining Like Terms Flashcard

Front

What does it mean to combine like terms in an expression?

Back

Combining like terms means to simplify an expression by adding or subtracting terms that have the same variable raised to the same power.

Front

What are like terms?

Back

Like terms are terms that have the same variable(s) raised to the same power. For example, 3x and 5x are like terms, while 3x and 4y are not.

Front

What is a coefficient in an algebraic expression?

Back

A coefficient is a numerical factor that multiplies a variable. For example, in the term 5k, 5 is the coefficient of k.

Front

What is a constant in an algebraic expression?

Back

A constant is a term that does not contain any variables. For example, in the expression 18 + 5k, 18 is the constant.

Front

How do you combine the terms 10k + 3j - j - 5k?

Back

You combine like terms by subtracting and adding the coefficients: (10k - 5k) + (3j - j) = 5k + 2j.

Front

What is the result of combining the terms 5k - 3k + 6?

Back

The result is 2k + 6.

Front

How do you simplify the expression x + y - x + y?

Back

You combine like terms: (x - x) + (y + y) = 0 + 2y = 2y.

Front

What is the role of parentheses in algebraic expressions?

Back

Parentheses indicate which operations should be performed first in an expression, and they can also group terms together.

Front

What is the difference between a term and an expression?

Back

A term is a single mathematical entity (like 5x or 3), while an expression is a combination of one or more terms (like 5x + 3).

Front

How do you identify the coefficient of a term in an expression?

Back

The coefficient is the number in front of the variable in a term. For example, in 7y, the coefficient is 7.