1. Combining Like Terms

2. Vocabulary
A term is a number or the product of a number and a variable(s).
ex. 5, -12p, 35m3, x2y5z13
A constant is a term that has no variable.
ex. 15, , -22, 1
Like terms have identical variables (with the same exponents).
ex. 4m2 and -8m2, 17x and x, 8y3k2 and -2k2y3
A coefficient is a number that multiplies a variable.
ex. 4x, -13y, 54mn

3. Underline the Like Terms
4xy3
9xy
mx2y
4x2y yx
7yx2 3x
-3m2y
4xy2
-4y
-17yq
13x2y2
x2y
-13x2y

4. Are 15m3b2 and -7bm2bm like terms?
Yes No

5. Combining Like Terms
If you have like terms on the same side of an equation, you can combine them through addition or subtraction.
ex. 8x + 3x = 77
11x = 77
ex. -8p – (-3p) = 5f + 12 – 13f
-5p = -8f + 12

6. Distributive Property & Combining Like Terms
3(2
+4) -2 6
+12 -2 4
+12

7. Distributive Property & Combining Like Terms
-13 -2 ) +4
-4(3
-13 ) +4
-12
-(-8
-13 +4
-12 +8
-25
+12

8. Distributive Property & Combining Like Terms
3(2n + 4) – 2(8n – 7m)
6n + 12 – 16n – (-14)m
6n + 12 – 16n + 14m
-10n + 26m
Wrong!

9. Distributive Property & Combining Like Terms
3(2n + 4) – 2(8n – 7m)
6n + 12 – 16n – (-14)m
6n + 12 – 16n + 14m
-10n m

10. 12 -4(-8
+17)
- 68

11. 6(2x + y) + 2y -12x
12x+ 6y + 2y -12x 8y

12. (2
+4)3 + 6(-5
)-(-8) 6 +8
-24
+20

13. ) +3
+4(5+ -3 ) +3
+4(5-2
Nooooo! +3
+20-2

14. ) +3
+4(5+ -3 ) +3
+4(5-2 +3
+20 -8 -4
+20