Question

How many like terms are in the expression: 10y + 10z - 13x - 4z + 10 + 2x y?

2

3

4

5

Answer 1

@phi can u help me?

Answer 2

this is easier if you use math instead of English

Answer 3

like terms means "same variable to the same power"

Answer 4

@phi yes I understand that

Answer 5

term: In the sum a + b
a and b are called terms

Answer 6

@skullpatrol mmhm I know

Answer 7

can you write out the problem using algebra ?

Answer 8

So count them, if you know!

Answer 9

@phi what do you mean

Answer 10

now how many terms have the same variable ?

Answer 11

10z - 4z = (10-4)z = 6z

Answer 12

@skullpatrol ok

@phi 3 or 2

Answer 13

only 10z and -4z are "like terms"

Answer 14

@phi so 2

Answer 15

yes, the answer is 2

notice that 10y and 2x y are NOT like terms, because y and x y are not the same
in fact x and x*x (or x^2) are not the same (like term)

Answer 16

It is good to get this idea straight, because you use it in algebra to simplify (by combining like terms). You need to know like terms when you see them, otherwise the next steps in algebra will get confusing.

Answer 17

similar terms: Two monomials that are exactly alike
or are the same except for their numerical coefficients, also called like terms.

Answer 18

the one thing that might be confusing is that
x*y (written x y) and y*x (written y x) are "like terms" because the order of multiplying does not matter. Normally we put the variables in alphabetical order to keep things easier to see

Answer 19

Recall that a monomial is a numeral, a variable or the product of a numeral and one or more variables.

Answer 20

$$ab=ba$$