Combining Like Terms

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 in an expression that have the same variable(s) and exponent(s). For example, 3x and 5x are like terms, while 3x and 4y are not.

Front

How do you simplify the expression x + 3x + 6x + x?

Back

You combine the coefficients of like terms: 1x + 3x + 6x + 1x = 11x.

Front

Can the expression 4f^2 + 3h - g + f be simplified? Why or why not?

Back

No, it cannot be simplified further because there are no like terms to combine.

Front

What is the result of simplifying the expression 8q + 3q - 6t + 2q - 4q?

Back

The result is 9q - 6t after combining like terms.

Front

How do you simplify the expression 7j + 3k + 10j - k?

Back

Combine like terms: (7j + 10j) + (3k - k) = 17j + 2k.

Front

What is the simplified form of 23s + 23d + 4s - 4d?

Back

The simplified form is 27s + 19d after combining like terms.

Front

What is the coefficient in the term 5x?

Back

The coefficient is 5, which is the number multiplying the variable x.

Front

What is the difference between like terms and unlike terms?

Back

Like terms can be combined because they have the same variable and exponent, while unlike terms cannot be combined.

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 the expression 2a + 3b + 4a, 2a and 4a are like terms.