There are several things you can do to simplify expressions. Specifically for expressions with several terms, two things you can do is to combine similar terms (terms that have the same combination of variables), and then (usually after combining), see if you can apply one of the common methods of factoring, such as looking for common factors, looking for a perfect cube, factoring the difference of squares, the sum or difference of cubes, etc.
to simplify an expression means to take all the like terms and make them one. for example if the expression is 2x+5x+1x-4 , you would simplify it by adding 2x,5x,&1x because they are all alike... it would become 8x-4
12t + 15
To simplify the expression 8x - 8 - 4x - 3 - 3x, first combine like terms. Start by combining the x terms: 8x - 4x - 3x = x. Then, combine the constant terms: -8 - 3 = -11. Therefore, the simplified expression is x - 11.
If you have a expression that goes; 2x + 5x etc etc Simplifying the like terms is 7x 2x and 5x are like terms, but 2y and 2x are not. The variable needs to be the same.
Combine like terms to give 3n + 2
Like Terms and Variables
When you have an expression you have to simplify by eliminating all grouping symbols and combining like terms.
To simplify
You combine like terms.
Simplify an Expression
3b-4-6b-5
There are only the two terms, so 8xy
to simplify an expression means to take all the like terms and make them one. for example if the expression is 2x+5x+1x-4 , you would simplify it by adding 2x,5x,&1x because they are all alike... it would become 8x-4
12t + 15
You add (or subtract) like terms. This will reduce the number of terms in the expression and that is the extent of simplification that you can achieve using this process.
If you have a expression that goes; 2x + 5x etc etc Simplifying the like terms is 7x 2x and 5x are like terms, but 2y and 2x are not. The variable needs to be the same.
When the denominator is a factor of the numerator. If there is 2x in the numerator and denominator these terms cancel.