Understanding Like Terms in Mathematics: Explanation, Examples, and Simplification Techniques

like terms

In mathematics, like terms refer to terms with the same variable(s) raised to the same power(s)

In mathematics, like terms refer to terms with the same variable(s) raised to the same power(s). To understand like terms, let’s look at an example:

Consider the expression: 4x + 2y – 3x + 5y

In this expression, we have terms with variables x and y. The exponent for both variables is 1, as they are not explicitly written but implied.

Now, let’s identify the like terms in this expression. Like terms will have the same variable(s) raised to the same power(s). In this case, 4x and -3x have the same variable x raised to the power 1, so they are like terms. Similarly, 2y and 5y have the same variable y raised to the power 1, so they are like terms as well.

Hence, the like terms in the expression are: 4x and -3x, and 2y and 5y.

To combine or simplify like terms, we add or subtract the coefficients (numbers in front of the variables). This can be helpful when simplifying an expression or solving an equation.

For example, using the expression above, we can combine the like terms as follows:

4x – 3x + 2y + 5y
= (4x – 3x) + (2y + 5y)
= x + 7y

So, the given expression simplifies to x + 7y after combining the like terms.

Remember, when combining like terms, we only add or subtract the coefficients in front of the variables, while leaving the variables and their exponents unchanged.

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