Combining Like Terms & Distributive Property

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What is a constant in algebra?

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A constant is a fixed value that does not change. It can be a number on its own, such as 5 or -3.

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What is a coefficient in algebra?

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A coefficient is a numerical factor that multiplies a variable in an algebraic expression. For example, in 3x, 3 is the coefficient.

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What are terms in an algebraic expression?

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Terms are the individual components of an expression separated by plus or minus signs. For example, in the expression 2x + 3y - 5, the terms are 2x, 3y, and -5.

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What does it mean to combine like terms?

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Combining like terms involves adding or subtracting terms that have the same variable raised to the same power. For example, 2x + 3x = 5x.

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What is the distributive property?

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The distributive property states that a(b + c) = ab + ac. It allows you to multiply a single term by each term inside a parentheses.

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How do you apply the distributive property to simplify expressions?

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To apply the distributive property, multiply the term outside the parentheses by each term inside the parentheses and then combine like terms if possible.

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What is an example of using the distributive property?

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For example, using the distributive property on 2(x + 3) results in 2x + 6.

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What are like terms?

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Like terms are terms that have the same variable raised to the same power. For example, 4x and 7x are like terms, while 4x and 4y are not.

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What is the first step in combining like terms?

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The first step in combining like terms is to identify which terms are alike based on their variable and exponent.

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Can constants be combined with variables?

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No, constants cannot be combined with variables. They are considered different types of terms.