Combining Like Terms

Front

What are like terms?

Back

Like terms are terms that have the same variable raised to the same power. For example, 3x and 5x are like terms, while 3x and 4y are not.

Front

How do you combine like terms?

Back

To combine like terms, add or subtract the coefficients of the terms that have the same variable. For example, 3x + 5x = (3 + 5)x = 8x.

Front

Simplify: x + 3x + 6x + x

Back

11x

Front

Simplify: 4q + 4t + 3q + t

Back

7q + 5t

Front

Simplify: 7j + 3k + 10j - k

Back

17j + 2k

Front

Simplify by combining like terms: 5a + 2b - 3a + 4

Back

2a + 2b + 4

Front

Simplify: m + m + m + m

Back

4m

Front

What is a coefficient?

Back

A coefficient is a numerical factor in a term. For example, in 4x, 4 is the coefficient.

Front

What is a constant term?

Back

A constant term is a term that does not contain any variables. For example, in the expression 3x + 5, 5 is a constant term.

Front

What happens when you combine unlike terms?

Back

Unlike terms cannot be combined. For example, 3x + 4y remains as is because x and y are different variables.