Combining Like Terms and Distributive Property

Front

What does the distributive property state?

Back

The distributive property states that a(b + c) = ab + ac, meaning you can distribute a factor across terms inside parentheses.

Front

What are like terms?

Back

Like terms are terms that have the same variable raised to the same power. For example, 3x and 5x are like terms, while 3x and 4y are not.

Front

How do you combine like terms?

Back

To combine like terms, add or subtract the coefficients of the terms that have the same variable. For example, 3x + 5x = 8x.

Front

What is the first step in simplifying an expression with parentheses?

Back

The first step is to apply the distributive property to eliminate the parentheses.

Front

What is the result of simplifying the expression 2(3x + 4)?

Back

The result is 6x + 8.

Front

How many terms are in the expression 5a + 3b - 2c + 7?

Back

There are 4 terms in the expression.

Front

What is the coefficient in the term 7x?

Back

The coefficient in the term 7x is 7.

Front

What does it mean to simplify an expression?

Back

To simplify an expression means to combine like terms and apply the distributive property to make the expression as concise as possible.

Front

What is the simplified form of 4x + 2x - 3x?

Back

The simplified form is 3x.

Front

How do you identify the number of terms in an expression?

Back

Count the number of distinct parts of the expression separated by plus or minus signs.