Taylor writes an expression with 5 terms. All 5 terms are like terms. How many terms are in the equivalent expression with the least number of terms? Explain.

Question

 I am learning about the Equivalent Expressions in Math Pre AP 7th grade

 

Answer 1

"Like terms are terms that contain the same variables raised to the same power. Only the numerical coefficients are different. In an expression, only like terms can be combined. We combine like terms to shorten and simplify algebraic expressions, so we can work with them more easily. To combine like terms, we add the coefficients and keep the variables the same. We can't combine unlike terms because that's like trying to add apples and oranges!"  --http://www.math.com/school/subject2/lessons/S2U2L4DP.html

 

Here is my example of an expression with unlike terms:  Five basketball players had:

   2 points + 3 fouls

   4 points

   3 points + 2 fouls

   8 points + 1 foul

   2 points

 

What was their total for the game?  We may combine like terms to get 19 points and 6 fouls.  Not a very good game.  We have a least two terms (points and fouls) in our answer.

 

If 5 like terms are in an expression, the least number of terms in the equivalent expression is one.  Coefficients may be combined.