1. Objective - To combine like terms to simplify expressions.
Like terms - variable terms that differ only in
their coefficients.
Like Terms
Unlike Terms
7x x
7x y
5y y 5y
10xy yx
2a ab

2. Simplify by combining like terms.
1) 7x - 4y + 2x - y
6) x + 3y - 17x
9x - 5y
-21x + 3y + 10
2) 3m + 10n - 4m + 1
7) 6r - 2.3s - -9r - 3.5s
-m + 10n + 1
15r - 5.8s
3) 7x + 3y 8) 1
7x + 3y
2 p - 5q 6
4) 6x - (5x) + 2x + (-3)
9) m - - m - 27
3x - 3
-13m - 11
5) 4k - (2j) - 6k - j
10) 8e + 3f + (-5e) - -5f
-2k - 3j
3e + 8f

3. Simplify the following.
1) (x - 5) - 8
4) 5x - 4(7x - 9) - 11
10 - 4x
5x - 28x
- 4x + 22
- 23x + 25
2) 6 - 2(5 - x) - (3x + 7)
5) (x - 5) - (2x - 9)
x - 3x - 7
10 + 3x x + 9
- x - 11
x + 4
3) 4x - 5[2(6x - 3) - 7]
6) -4[-(x + 5) - 3(x - 6)]
4x - 5[12x ]
-4[-x x + 18]
4x - 5[12x - 13]
-4[-4x + 13]
4x - 60x + 65
16x - 52
-56x + 65

4. Irrational Terms
Irrational numbers can’t be combined with
rational numbers.
Like terms
Unlike terms

5. Simplify by combining like terms.1) 6) 2) 7) 3) 8) 4) 9) 5)
10)