Simplifying Expressions (Collecting Like Terms)

After having studied what algebraic expressions and equivalent algebraic expressions are, the next thing to do is to understand how to collect like terms.

Since the numbers and variables are not similar (or, 'like') terms, they cannot be simplified into a single group and, therefore, we have to write them separately ($X,Y$).

Example with Two Variables

The expression $4+2+2X+3X+Y+2Y=$ can be simplified as follows:

$5X+3Y+6$

Combine like terms in order to obtain shorter expressions:

• $X+X=$
• $5+8-9+5X-4X=$
• $5+0+8X-5=$
• $11+5X-2X+8=$
• $13X+5-4.5X+7.5X=$

Collect like terms to obtain shorter expressions. Then, using what we have learned about the numerical value of algebraic expressions, apply $X=5$ and solve.

• $2X+5X\cdot4=$
• $2.3X+0.4X-0.7X=$
• ${X\over15}+{X\over15}=$
• ${3\over8}X-{2\over8}X+5=$
• $(7+Y):3=$

If you are interested in this article, you may also like the following articles:

• Unknowns and algebraic expressions.
• The Numerical Value in Algebraic Expressions
• Equivalent Expressions / Equivalent Algebraic Expressions
• Multiplication of algebraic expressions
• Solving equations by simplifying equal elements
• Simplifying algebraic fractions

On Tutorela website, you can find a wide range of useful articles about mathematics!

Task:

$3\frac{b}{a}\cdot1\frac{3}{8}a+\frac{5}{8}b+\frac{4}{18}m+\frac{9}{10}a+\frac{2}{3}m=\text{?}$

Solution:

Enter the corresponding elements.

$3\frac{b}{a}\times1\frac{3}{8}a+\frac{5}{8}b+\frac{9}{10}a+\frac{4}{18}m+\frac{2}{3}m=$

Convert the mixed fractions into improper fractions.

$3\frac{b}{a}\times\frac{(8+3)}{8}a+\frac{5}{8}b+\frac{9}{10}a+\frac{4}{18}m+\frac{2}{3}m=$

Solve accordingly.

$\frac{3\times11\times b\times a}{8\times a}+\frac{5}{8}b+\frac{9}{10}a+\frac{4+2\times6}{18}m=$

Simplify to $a$ in the equation.

$\frac{33}{8}b+\frac{5}{8}b+\frac{9}{10}a+\frac{16}{18}m=$

$\frac{33+5}{8}b+\frac{9}{10}a+\frac{8}{9}m=$

$\frac{38}{8}b+\frac{9}{10}a+\frac{8}{9}m=$

$4\frac{3}{4}b+\frac{9}{10}a+\frac{8}{9}m=$

Answer:

$4\frac{3}{4}b+\frac{9}{10}a+\frac{8}{9}m=$

Task:

$\frac{3}{8}a+\frac{14}{9}b+1\frac{1}{9}b+\frac{6}{8}a=\text{?}$

Solution:

First, group the terms together:

$\frac{3}{8}a+\frac{6}{8}a+\frac{14}{9}b+1\frac{1}{9}b$

Then reduce in correspondence and convert the mixed fractions into improper fractions.

$\frac{3+6}{8}a+\frac{10}{9}b+\frac{14}{9}b=$

$\frac{9}{8}a+\frac{10+14}{9}b=$

$1\frac{1}{8}a+\frac{24}{9}b=$

$1\frac{1}{8}a+2\frac{6}{9}b=$

$1\frac{1}{8}a+2\frac{2}{3}b$

Answer:

$1\frac{1}{8}a+2\frac{2}{3}b$

$7.3\times4a+2.3+8a=?$

Solution:

We start with the multiplication operation.

$(7.3\times4a)+2.3+8a=$

$(29.2a)+2.3+8a=$

Then we add together as much as we can and rewrite the equation to make it clearer:

$29.2a+8a+2.3=$

$37.2a+2.3=$

Answer:

$37.2a+2.3$

Task:

Solve the following equation:

$a+b+bc+9a+10b+3c=\text{?}$

Solution:

The terms are substituted into the expression according to the order: $a, b, c$.

$a+9a+b+bc+10b+3c=$

We continue with the addition operations.

$10a+11b+bc+3c=$

The terms containing $c$ are converted for the equation since they cannot be simplified further.

$10a+11b+(b+3)c$

Answer:

$10a+11b+(b+3)c$

Task:

Solve the following equation:

$3z+19z-4z=\text{?}$

Solution:

We start with the addition operation:

$22z-4z=$

We continue solving accordingly.

$18z$

Answer:

$18z$

What are like terms?

Like terms in an algebraic expression are those that have the same variable with the same exponent, regardless of the sign and the coefficient—that is, the sign and the coefficient can be different, but the variable and the exponent must be the same. For example:

$3x^2$ y $-11x^2$

$8a^5$ y $8a^5$

$-7m$ y $\frac{2}{3}m$

How do you simplify expressions?

In order to simplify algebraic expressions, we need to work out if there are any like terms and then group them together before performing the operations (addition, subtraction, etc.).

Example 1

Task: Simplify the following expression:

$3x^2-7x+6-5x^2-x-1$

Solution:

First we need to group the like terms and then perform the operations.

$3x^2-5x^2-7x-x+6-1$

$-2x^2-8x+5$

Answer:

$-2x^2-8x+5$

Example 2

Task: Simplify the following expression:

$8m^2+2m+7=3m^3+5m^2+2m-5$

Solution:

In this case we need to put all the terms on one side and combine the like terms:

$-3m^3+8m^2-5m^2+2m-2m+7+5=$

$-3m^3+3m^2+12=$

Answer:

$-3m^3+3m^2+12=$

How do you simplify a function?

In order to simplify a function, we must also work out if there are any like terms and group them together in order to simplify them.

Example

Question: Simplify the following function:

$f\left(a\right)=-5a^2+2a-4+2a^2+5a$

Solution:

In this function we can see that there are like terms, so we can group them to simplify them.

$f\left(a\right)=-5a^2+2a^2+2a+5a-4$

$f\left(a\right)=-3a^2+7a-4$

Answer:

$f\left(a\right)=-3a^2+7a-4$