Expressions and Equations

Front

What is an expression in mathematics?

Back

An expression is a combination of numbers, variables, and operators (such as +, -, *, /) that represents a value.

Front

What is an equation in mathematics?

Back

An equation is a statement that two expressions are equal, typically containing an equals sign (=).

Front

How do you combine like terms in an expression?

Back

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

Front

What is the distributive property?

Back

The distributive property states that a(b + c) = ab + ac, meaning you can distribute a factor across a sum.

Front

What does it mean to solve an equation?

Back

To solve an equation means to find the value(s) of the variable(s) that make the equation true.

Front

What is the first step in solving the equation 3x + 5 = 20?

Back

The first step is to isolate the term with the variable by subtracting 5 from both sides, resulting in 3x = 15.

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How do you check if a solution to an equation is correct?

Back

To check a solution, substitute the value back into the original equation and verify if both sides are equal.

Front

What is a variable in an algebraic expression?

Back

A variable is a symbol (often a letter) that represents an unknown value in an expression or equation.

Front

What is the process of simplifying an expression?

Back

Simplifying an expression involves combining like terms and applying the distributive property to reduce it to its simplest form.

Front

What is a coefficient in an algebraic expression?

Back

A coefficient is a numerical factor that multiplies a variable in an expression, such as the 3 in 3x.