Simplifying, Expanding, & Factoring Algebraic Expressions

Front

What is the process of simplifying an algebraic expression?

Back

Simplifying an algebraic expression involves combining like terms and reducing the expression to its simplest form.

Front

How do you combine like terms in an expression?

Back

To combine like terms, identify terms that have the same variable raised to the same power and add or subtract their coefficients.

Front

What is the distributive property?

Back

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

Front

How do you factor an expression?

Back

Factoring an expression involves rewriting it as a product of its factors, often by finding the greatest common factor (GCF) or using special factoring techniques.

Front

What is the greatest common factor (GCF)?

Back

The GCF of two or more terms is the largest factor that divides all the terms without leaving a remainder.

Front

How do you factor out the GCF from an expression?

Back

To factor out the GCF, divide each term of the expression by the GCF and write the expression as the GCF multiplied by the resulting expression.

Front

What does it mean to expand an expression?

Back

Expanding an expression means to distribute and simplify it, removing parentheses and combining like terms.

Front

What is the result of expanding 5(2x + 3y + 2)?

Back

The result is 10x + 15y + 10.

Front

How do you simplify the expression 14 - 3z + 8 + z?

Back

Combine like terms to get -2z + 22.

Front

What is the simplified form of 4a + 9 + a?

Back

The simplified form is 5a + 9.