Simplifying Expressions

Vocabulary

100

What is the difference between an equation and an expression

An equation has an equal sign 

An expression does NOT have an equal sign 

200

What is a term? 

Everything between an operation 

300

What is a constant?

Another word for numbers used in expressions and equations

400

What is a variable?

Another word for the letters used in expressions and equations.

500

What are the two ways to simplify an expression?

Distributive Property and Combine Like Terms

Combine Like Terms

100

9 + 7x - 11 - 12x

-5x - 2

200

6n + 3n  - 5m + 12 + 9m

6n+3n+9m-5m+12

300

2y+6x+12+4y-18y

6x-18y+4y+2y +12

400

n − 10 + 9n − 3

9n + n - 10 -3

500

19q - 15 - 2q - 10 +10x -4y +11x +3y-2

19q - 2q +10x +11x -4y +3y -15 -10 -2

Distributive Property

100

4 (x + 3)

4x + 12

200

2 (x - 5)

2x - 10

300

5 (3x + 2)

15x + 10

OR

3x + 2

400

- (3x - 2)

-3x + 2

500

-7 (7x - 7) 

-49x + 49 

OR

-7x + 7

Simplifying Expression

100

9 + 7x - 11 - 12x

-5x - 2

200

10 + 2b + 8b - 6

10b + 4

300

4x - 3x + 2x + 12 - 19

3x - 7

400

(3x - 4) + (-2x - 9)

x - 13

500

(5x - 4) + (9x + 5)

14x + 1

Category Flex

100

Is this an expression or equation

x + 31y = 5

Equation

200

These are terms that have the same variables

Like Terms

300

The number before the variable

Coefficient 

400

When you remove the unnecessary steps in the expression.

Simplifying The Expression

500

A mathematical statement that is represented in numbers

Equation