Simplifying Expressions

Front

What is the process of simplifying an expression?

Back

The process of simplifying an expression involves combining like terms and performing operations to reduce the expression to its simplest form.

Front

What are like terms in an expression?

Back

Like terms are terms that have the same variable raised to the same power. They can be combined by adding or subtracting their coefficients.

Front

What is a coefficient in an algebraic expression?

Back

A coefficient is a numerical factor that multiplies a variable in an algebraic expression.

Front

How do you simplify the expression 9z - 21 - 3z + 10?

Back

Combine like terms: (9z - 3z) + (-21 + 10) = 6z - 11.

Front

What is the first step in simplifying the expression 4a + 9 + a?

Back

Combine like terms: 4a + a = 5a, so the expression simplifies to 5a + 9.

Front

How do you simplify the expression 6 + 2(7x - 3)?

Back

Distribute the 2: 6 + 14x - 6 = 14x.

Front

What does it mean to distribute in algebra?

Back

To distribute means to multiply a term by each term inside a set of parentheses.

Front

What is the simplified form of the expression 5(6n - 2) - 13?

Back

Distribute the 5: 30n - 10 - 13 = 30n - 23.

Front

What is the importance of parentheses in algebraic expressions?

Back

Parentheses indicate which operations should be performed first according to the order of operations.

Front

What is the order of operations in mathematics?

Back

The order of operations is a set of rules that dictates the sequence in which calculations are performed: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right), often abbreviated as PEMDAS.