Understanding Variable Factors and Like Terms

The video tutorial covers the addition, subtraction, and multiplication of monomials, emphasizing the importance of variable factors being identical for terms to be combined. It begins with a recap of the previous class on polynomials, then explains how to identify and combine like terms, providing examples. The tutorial also highlights cases where terms cannot be combined due to differing variable factors or different variables. The session concludes with a Q&A segment.

What was the main focus of the previous class session?

• Solving quadratic equations

• Graphing linear equations

• Factoring trinomials

• Rewriting polynomials in descending order

When adding monomials, what must be true about their variable factors?

• They must be different

• They must be the same

• They must be prime numbers

• They must be even numbers

What is the result of adding 5x and 7x?

• 5x + 7x

• 12x

• 12

• 35x

Which of the following are like terms?

• 5x and 5y

• 5 and 5x

• 5x^2 and 5x

• 5x^3 and 7x^3

Why can't 5x^3 and 7x be combined?

• They are both polynomials

• They are both constants

• They have different variable factors

• They have different coefficients

What is the variable factor for x^3?

• x

• x * x

• x * x * x

• x^3

Which of the following expressions cannot be combined into a single term?

• 5x^3 + 7x

• 5x + 7x

• 5x^2 + 7x^2

• 5y^2 + 7y^2

What are the variable factors for y^2?

• y^3

• y

• y * y

• y^2

Why can't x^2 and y^2 be combined?

• They have different coefficients

• They are both constants

• They are both polynomials

• They have different variable factors

What should you do if terms have different variable factors?

• Rewrite the expression as is

• Add their coefficients

• Combine them anyway

• Ignore them