Ch 1.1 Algebraic Expressions

Term

A term is just a number or variable with it's sign (positive or negative).

Example: 2, -5, 6x, 3y

What is an expression?

An expression is a bunch of terms together.

Example: 2x + 3 - 3x + 7

2x, 3x, -5x

7y, 10y

Same variables and exponents

3, 7, -21, -8

Just numbers

What does simplify mean?

To simplify means to combine all like terms in an expression by adding or subtracting.

What does evaluate mean?

We can evaluate an expression when we are told a specific value to use in place of a variable.

It will say something like: Evaluate 3x - 2 when x = 4.

We plug 4 into the expression in place of x and work it out.

3(4) - 2 = 12 - 2 = 10