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What Does "Simplify" Mean?
What Does "Simplify" Mean?
Imagine your pencil case has 3 red pens and 2 blue pens, then someone gives you 4 more red pens and takes 1 blue pen. You wouldn't say "I have 3 red + 2 blue + 4 red − 1 blue" - you'd say "7 red and 1 blue"! Simplifying is just combining things that are the same type. In algebra, "3x + 2y + 4x − y" becomes "7x + y".
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What Are "Like Terms"?
Like terms have exactly the same variable(s) with the same power(s)
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
✗ 3x + 2y = 5xy
✓ 3x + 2y (can't simplify)
Unlike terms stay separate
✗ 2x + 3x² = 5x³
✓ 2x + 3x² (can't simplify)
Different powers = unlike terms
✗ 5x − 3x = 2
✓ 5x − 3x = 2x
Keep the variable after combining
✗ −x² + 3x² = 2x²
✓ −x² + 3x² = 2x²
This one is correct! Watch signs carefully
✗ Forgetting −x means −1x
✓ 5x − x = 5x − 1x = 4x
Invisible coefficient is 1
Now try it yourself
Quiz · Question 1 of 11
Which two terms are like terms?
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