Combining Like Terms

Vocabulary

100

In an expression, these are the name for parts being added together or subtracted. 

Example: 4x + 3x + 3y + 7y

What is a term?

200

Terms that contain the same variable(s) raised to the same exponent. These terms can be combined. Example: 3x + 9x or 7y + 3Y

What are like terms?

300

A mathematical phrase that contains numbers, operations, and/or variables (but no = sign). Example: 5x + 4y + 5 - 2x

What is an expression?

400

The act of performing all indicated operations, including combining like terms. When you do this you do not always get a number answer like 25 or 10 or -1. Frequently you get an expression as an answer, like 2x + 5.

What is simplify?

500

A symbol, usually a letter of the alphabet, used to represent a quantity that can change.

What is a variable?

Combining (Addition)

100

8a + 15a + a + 9

What is 24a + 9

200

5x + 35 + 3x + 2

What is 8x + 37

300

32 + 12t + 16t + 8

What is 28t + 40

400

6p + 32 + 16p + 2 + 4p

What is 26p + 34

500

m + 20n + 25m + 6n

What is 26m + 26n

Combining (Subtraction)

100

21b - 11b - 10 - 12b

What is -2b - 10

200

12c - 6c - (-30)

What is 6c + 30

300

5z - 55 - 26 - z

What is 4z - 81

400

-7d - (-40) + 8d

What is d + 40

500

-15j - 18k - 24j - 18k

What is -39j - 36k

Combining Like Terms(Add & Subtract Mix)

100

-7w - 5 + 17w + 15

What is 10w + 10

200

19a - 6b - 17a - 3b + 9b - 2a

What is 0

300

-2f - 1f - (-6) + 5f

What is 2f + 6

400

-5r + 3q - 8q - r

What is -5q - 6r?

500

53t - (-20r) + 17 - 10t

What is 20r + 43t + 17

Distributive Property

100

The solution to

 -2 (-3x + 5)

6x - 10 OR 6x + (-10)

200

The solution to

 3x + 2 (2x - 4)

What is 7x - 8

300

The solution to

 -3x - 4 (6 - 3x)

What is 6x - 24 

400

The solution to

 2 - (-5x - 9)

What is 5x + 11

500

The solution to

 2 ( -4x - 1) - (3x - 6)

What is -11x + 4