Download Combining-Like

Combining Like Terms
Only combine terms that are
exactly the same!!
• What’s the “same” mean?
– If numbers have a variable, then you can
combine only ones that have the same
variable
– You can also combine numbers that have no
variables
Examples
• Which numbers are the “same”?
5x, 8y, 9z, 10, 12x, 14z, 7
Same: 5x and 12x
Same: 10 and 7
Same: 9z and 14z
Let’s try it!
4x + 9x
13x
4x + 8y + 10x
14x + 8 y
-7y + 9y
2y
-8y + (-4y)
-12y
5 + 8x + 7y + 10
8x + 7y + 15
• In an equation, we
can combine like
terms by adding and
subtracting them from
one side of the equal
sign to the other by
performing the
inverse. Remember
our goal is to have
the variable isolated
on one side and a
number on the other.
(X=#)
4x + 16 = 10x -2
-4x
-4x
16 = 6x – 2
+2 =
+2
18 = 6x
6
6
3= x