TE2: Combining Like Terms
The rule here is that only like terms can be added together. Collecting like terms which means that we add together anything that can be added together The rule here is that only like terms can be added together.
Like terms are those terms which contain the same powers of same variables. They can have different coefficients, but that is the only difference.
3x, x, and –2x are like terms
2x2, –5x2, and x2 are like terms.
xy2, 3y2 x, and 3xy2 are like terms
xy2 and x2 y are NOT like terms
Example: x2 + 2x + 3x2 + 2 + 4x + 7