Week of February 10th...

We are nearing the end of Chapter 6. The students will be using properties to simplify expressions.  

Like Terms

"Like terms" are terms whose variables are the same.

In other words, terms that are "like" each other.

Note: the coefficients (the numbers you multiply by, such as "5" in 5x) can be different.

Example:

7x

x

-2x

Are all like terms because the variables are all x

Example:

−2xy2

6xy2

xy2/2

Are all like terms because the variables are all xy²

Unlike Terms

If they are not like terms, they are called "Unlike Terms":

Example: These are all Unlike Terms because the variables and/or their exponents are different:

2x

2x2

2y

2xy

Combining Like Terms

You can add like terms together to make one term:

Example: 7x + x

They are both like terms, so you can just add them:

7x + x = 8x

By the way ... why don't we write "1x" ?

It is just easier to write x. Imagine adding eggs:

7 eggs plus 1 egg is 8 eggs
is written 7 eggs + egg = 8 eggs

Example: 4x³ + 3x² − 7 − x² + 2

Some of the terms are like terms.
Combine like terms:

(4x³) + (3x² − x²) + (2 − 7)

Then add like terms:

4x³  + 2x² − 5