an algebraic expression
Variable is any letter used in an algebraic expression, and can vary (change form) to be any number, and one variable means the same number in any single algebraic expression. Usually algebra is simplifying the expression or equation until you know what the variable is equal to.
They are identical or equivalent.
Because "x" is a variable, it is the same as 9 times x.
Just multiply the coefficients, leave the variable the same, and add the exponents.
the unknowns must be the same variable and the exponents have to be the same. examples) x4 + y4 cannot be added because they are not the same variable. x3 + x2 cannot be added because they have different exponents. 3y6 + 5y6 can be added because they have the same variable and exponents. (answer: 8y6)
are known as like terms.
an algebraic expression
Variable is any letter used in an algebraic expression, and can vary (change form) to be any number, and one variable means the same number in any single algebraic expression. Usually algebra is simplifying the expression or equation until you know what the variable is equal to.
dissimilar terms are terms that do not have the same variable or the variable do not contain the same number of exponents
They are identical or equivalent.
Because "x" is a variable, it is the same as 9 times x.
Just multiply the coefficients, leave the variable the same, and add the exponents.
For each variable, find the smallest exponent in all the expressions. If the variable does not appear in one of the expressions, it's exponent may be taken as 0. Also, remember that if a variable seems to be without an exponent, its exponent is actually 1 (that is x is the same as x1). For example, GCF(a3bc, a2c3, a3b2c3) = a2c. Exponents of a are 3, 2 and 3: smallest = 2 Exponents of b are 1, 0 and 2: smallest = 0 Exponents of c are 1, 3 and 3: smallest = 1 The same rules apply for fractional exponents.
Similar terms or like terms are terms with the exact same variable and the variable have the exact same exponents. So x2 and 2x2 are like terms but x2 and x are not.
If you are adding or subtracting two numbers in scientific notation the exponents must be the same before adding the coefficients. This is similar to 'like terms' in algebraic expressions. You can't add 5x3 and 3x2 because the exponents are not the same.
like terms