Collecting Like Terms Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

What are like terms?

Terms with exactly the same letters raised to the same powers, e.g. $3x^2y$ and $-5x^2y$.

What are the steps to simplify an expression by collecting like terms?

e.g. $5a + 3b - 2a + b$

1. Group the like terms: $5a - 2a$ and $3b + b$
2. Add/subtract the coefficients: $3a$ and $4b$
3. Write the simplified expression: $3a + 4b$

When collecting like terms, what happens to the $+$ or $-$ sign in front of a term?

It belongs to that term and moves with it, e.g. in $7y - 3y$ the term is $-3y$.

True or false? $3x + 4y$ simplifies to $7xy$.

False. They are unlike terms, so $3x + 4y$ cannot be simplified.

True or false? $x^2$ and $x$ are like terms.

False. The powers are different, so they cannot be collected.

True or false? $4ab$ and $7ba$ are like terms.

True. They contain the same letters, so they collect to $11ab$.