Combining Like Terms

Front

What does it mean to combine like terms in an algebraic 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 is a like term?

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

How do you simplify the expression 2x + 3 + 9x + 2?

Back

You combine like terms: 2x + 9x = 11x and 3 + 2 = 5, resulting in 11x + 5.

Front

What is the result of simplifying 5x + 18y - 13x - 14y?

Back

Combine like terms: (5x - 13x) + (18y - 14y) = -8x + 4y.

Front

What is the simplest form of the expression 6x + 3x - 5 + x + 1?

Back

Combine like terms: (6x + 3x + x) - (5 - 1) = 10x - 4.

Front

How do you simplify the expression 2x + 1 + 7x?

Back

Combine like terms: 2x + 7x = 9x, so the result is 9x + 1.

Front

What is the coefficient in the term 7x?

Back

The coefficient is the number in front of the variable, which is 7 in this case.

Front

What is the constant term in the expression 4x + 5 - 2x + 3?

Back

The constant term is the number without a variable, which is 5 + 3 = 8.

Front

How do you identify like terms in an expression?

Back

Look for terms that have the same variable(s) raised to the same power. For example, in 2x^2 + 3x^2 + 4x, 2x^2 and 3x^2 are like terms.

Front

What is the first step in simplifying an algebraic expression?

Back

The first step is to identify and group like terms together.