Algebraic Expressions

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What is an algebraic expression?

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An algebraic expression is a mathematical phrase that can include numbers, variables, and operation symbols. For example, 3x + 5 is an algebraic expression.

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What does the term 'coefficient' mean?

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A coefficient is a numerical factor in a term of an algebraic expression. In 4x, 4 is the coefficient.

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What is a variable in algebra?

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A variable is a symbol, often a letter, that represents an unknown value. For example, in the expression x + 2, x is the variable.

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What does 'evaluate' mean in algebra?

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To evaluate an algebraic expression means to substitute the values of the variables and perform the operations. For example, to evaluate 2x + 3 for x = 4, substitute 4 for x: 2(4) + 3 = 11.

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What is the difference between an expression and an equation?

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An expression is a combination of numbers, variables, and operations without an equality sign, while an equation states that two expressions are equal, using an equality sign.

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What does 'simplify' mean in algebra?

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To simplify an algebraic expression means to combine like terms and reduce it to its simplest form. For example, 2x + 3x simplifies to 5x.

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What is a term in an algebraic expression?

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A term is a single mathematical expression that can be a number, a variable, or a product of numbers and variables. For example, in 3x + 5, there are two terms: 3x and 5.

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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 in a parenthesis.

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What does 'like terms' mean?

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Like terms are terms that have the same variable raised to the same power. For example, 2x and 5x are like terms, but 2x and 3y are not.

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What is an exponent?

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An exponent is a number that shows how many times a base is multiplied by itself. For example, in 2^3, 2 is the base and 3 is the exponent, meaning 2 is multiplied by itself 3 times.