LIKE TERM AND UNLIKE TERM BASIC ALGEBRA
Like terms are terms with the same unknown. Unlike terms are terms with different unknowns. ALGEBRAIC TERMS Identifying the like and unlike algebraic terms 5k −12k 0.4m −7m 5k and -12k, 0.4m and -7m are like terms. 5k and 0.4m, -12k and -7m are unlike terms. Find the like term in the following list. EXERCISE 23p −10m 5x −4.2x Example: State 2 pairs of like term and unlike terms for the following list’ 5x and -4.2x are like terms. 23p and -10m, 5x and 23p, -10m and 5x, and -10m and -4.2x are unlike terms.
The easier way to combine the like term is to combine the coefficients and carry the variable part. Remember that when combining the like terms the variable parts do not change. ALGEBRAIC TERMS Combining like terms 5k 8k − − − 12h 10h Combine the like terms. EXERCISE Example: Combine the like terms. 1. 2. 2 2 3. − + 3u 2u Solution: 1. 2. 3. 5k 8k − − − 12h 10h 2 2 − + 3u 2u = −3k = −22h 2 = −u 1. 2. 3. 2 2 11k 6k − − − 120z 10z 2 2 − + 100y 12y 2 = 5k = −130z 2 = −88y
Example Simplify these expression. 2x 7x 11x + + 3xy 7xy + + + 22 2 8x y 2x y 5xy = ++ ( ) 2 7 11 x = 20x = + ( ) 3 7 xy =10xy =+ + ( ) 2 2 8 2 x y 5xy = + 2 2 10x y 5xy 8x 2x 3x − −−( ) = −+ ( ) 8 2 3x = 9x 11x 6y 12 2y − −− + ( ) = −++ 11x 6y 12 2y = −+ 11x 4y 12 3t 7 2t 11 m m × × 2 2 42t 11m =
EXERCISE Simplify the following expression: 2k 3k 4 2 7k − + +− ( ) 1111 abab 2346 −+− − + −− − 0.5p 7.2q 5.1p 3q ( ) k 2k 3k 34 2 + − 5m 7 2m 21 − + −−( ) nnnnnaaa ××××××× =− − 8k 2 3 1 a b 4 2 = − = + 4.6p 4.2q 2 k 3 = − = + 7m 14 5 3 = n a Thank you