# 1.2 Use the language of algebra  (Page 5/18)

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Evaluate $3{x}^{2}+4x+1$ when $x=3.$

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Evaluate $6{x}^{2}-4x-7$ when $x=2.$

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## Indentify and combine like terms

Algebraic expressions are made up of terms. A term is a constant, or the product of a constant and one or more variables.

## Term

A term    is a constant, or the product of a constant and one or more variables.

Examples of terms are $7,y,5{x}^{2},9a,\text{and}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{b}^{5}.$

The constant that multiplies the variable is called the coefficient .

## Coefficient

The coefficient    of a term is the constant that multiplies the variable in a term.

Think of the coefficient as the number in front of the variable. The coefficient of the term 3 x is 3. When we write x , the coefficient is 1, since $x=1·x.$

Identify the coefficient of each term: 14 y $15{x}^{2}$ a .

## Solution

The coefficient of 14 y is 14.

The coefficient of $15{x}^{2}$ is 15.

The coefficient of a is 1 since $a=1\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}a.$

Identify the coefficient of each term: $17x$ $41{b}^{2}$ z .

14 41 1

Identify the coefficient of each term: 9 p $13{a}^{3}$ ${y}^{3}.$

9 13 1

Some terms share common traits. Look at the following 6 terms. Which ones seem to have traits in common?

$\begin{array}{cccccccccccccccc}5x\hfill & & & 7\hfill & & & {n}^{2}\hfill & & & 4\hfill & & & 3x\hfill & & & 9{n}^{2}\hfill \end{array}$

The 7 and the 4 are both constant terms.

The 5x and the 3 x are both terms with x .

The ${n}^{2}$ and the $9{n}^{2}$ are both terms with ${n}^{2}.$

When two terms are constants or have the same variable and exponent, we say they are like terms .

• 7 and 4 are like terms.
• 5 x and 3 x are like terms.
• ${x}^{2}$ and $9{x}^{2}$ are like terms.

## Like terms

Terms that are either constants or have the same variables raised to the same powers are called like terms    .

Identify the like terms: ${y}^{3},$ $7{x}^{2},$ 14, 23, $4{y}^{3},$ 9 x , $5{x}^{2}.$

## Solution

${y}^{3}$ and $4{y}^{3}$ are like terms because both have ${y}^{3};$ the variable and the exponent match.

$7{x}^{2}$ and $5{x}^{2}$ are like terms because both have ${x}^{2};$ the variable and the exponent match.

14 and 23 are like terms because both are constants.

There is no other term like 9 x .

Identify the like terms: $9,$ $2{x}^{3},$ ${y}^{2},$ $8{x}^{3},$ $15,$ $9y,$ $11{y}^{2}.$

9 and 15, ${y}^{2}$ and $11{y}^{2},$ $2{x}^{3}$ and $8{x}^{3}$

Identify the like terms: $4{x}^{3},$ $8{x}^{2},$ 19, $3{x}^{2},$ 24, $6{x}^{3}.$

19 and 24, $8{x}^{2}$ and $3{x}^{2},$ $4{x}^{3}$ and $6{x}^{3}$

Adding or subtracting terms forms an expression. In the expression $2{x}^{2}+3x+8,$ from [link] , the three terms are $2{x}^{2},3x,$ and 8.

Identify the terms in each expression.

1. $9{x}^{2}+7x+12$
2. $8x+3y$

## Solution

The terms of $9{x}^{2}+7x+12$ are $9{x}^{2},$ 7 x , and 12.

The terms of $8x+3y$ are 8 x and 3 y .

Identify the terms in the expression $4{x}^{2}+5x+17.$

$4{x}^{2},5x,17$

Identify the terms in the expression $5x+2y.$

5 x , 2 y

If there are like terms in an expression, you can simplify the expression by combining the like terms. What do you think $4x+7x+x$ would simplify to? If you thought 12 x , you would be right!

$\begin{array}{c}\hfill 4x+7x+x\hfill \\ \hfill x+x+x+x\phantom{\rule{1em}{0ex}}+x+x+x+x+x+x+x\phantom{\rule{1em}{0ex}}+x\hfill \\ \hfill 12x\hfill \end{array}$

Add the coefficients and keep the same variable. It doesn’t matter what x is—if you have 4 of something and add 7 more of the same thing and then add 1 more, the result is 12 of them. For example, 4 oranges plus 7 oranges plus 1 orange is 12 oranges. We will discuss the mathematical properties behind this later.

Simplify: $4x+7x+x.$

Add the coefficients. 12 x

## How to combine like terms

Simplify: $2{x}^{2}+3x+7+{x}^{2}+4x+5.$

## Solution

Simplify: $3{x}^{2}+7x+9+7{x}^{2}+9x+8.$

$10{x}^{2}+16x+17$

Simplify: $4{y}^{2}+5y+2+8{y}^{2}+4y+5.$

$12{y}^{2}+9y+7$

## Combine like terms.

1. Identify like terms.
2. Rearrange the expression so like terms are together.
3. Add or subtract the coefficients and keep the same variable for each group of like terms.

#### Questions & Answers

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Nathan walked on an asphalt pathway for 12 miles. He walked the 12 miles back to his car on a gravel road through the forest. On the asphalt he walked 2 miles per hour faster than on the gravel. The walk on the gravel took one hour longer than the walk on the asphalt. How fast did he walk on the gravel?
Mckenzie
Nancy took a 3 hour drive. She went 50 miles before she got caught in a storm. Then she drove 68 miles at 9 mph less than she had driven when the weather was good. What was her speed driving in the storm?
Mr Hernaez runs his car at a regular speed of 50 kph and Mr Ranola at 36 kph. They started at the same place at 5:30 am and took opposite directions. At what time were they 129 km apart?
90 minutes
Melody wants to sell bags of mixed candy at her lemonade stand. She will mix chocolate pieces that cost $4.89 per bag with peanut butter pieces that cost$3.79 per bag to get a total of twenty-five bags of mixed candy. Melody wants the bags of mixed candy to cost her $4.23 a bag to make. How many bags of chocolate pieces and how many bags of peanut butter pieces should she use? Jake Reply enrique borrowed$23,500 to buy a car he pays his uncle 2% interest on the $4,500 he borrowed from him and he pays the bank 11.5% interest on the rest. what average interest rate does he pay on the total$23,500
13.5
Pervaiz
Amber wants to put tiles on the backsplash of her kitchen counters. She will need 36 square feet of tiles. She will use basic tiles that cost $8 per square foot and decorator tiles that cost$20 per square foot. How many square feet of each tile should she use so that the overall cost of the backsplash will be $10 per square foot? Bridget Reply The equation P=28+2.54w models the relation between the amount of Randy’s monthly water bill payment, P, in dollars, and the number of units of water, w, used. Find the payment for a month when Randy used 15 units of water. Bridget help me understand graphs Marlene Reply what kind of graphs? bruce function f(x) to find each value Marlene I am in algebra 1. Can anyone give me any ideas to help me learn this stuff. Teacher and tutor not helping much. Marlene Given f(x)=2x+2, find f(2) so you replace the x with the 2, f(2)=2(2)+2, which is f(2)=6 Melissa if they say find f(5) then the answer would be f(5)=12 Melissa I need you to help me Melissa. Wish I can show you my homework Marlene How is f(1) =0 I am really confused Marlene what's the formula given? f(x)=? Melissa It shows a graph that I wish I could send photo of to you on here Marlene Which problem specifically? Melissa which problem? Melissa I don't know any to be honest. But whatever you can help me with for I can practice will help Marlene I got it. sorry, was out and about. I'll look at it now. Melissa Thank you. I appreciate it because my teacher assumes I know this. My teacher before him never went over this and several other things. Marlene I just responded. Melissa Thank you Marlene -65r to the 4th power-50r cubed-15r squared+8r+23 ÷ 5r WENDY Reply State the question clearly please Rich write in this form a/b answer should be in the simplest form 5% August Reply convert to decimal 9/11 August 0.81818 Rich 5/100 = .05 but Rich is right that 9/11 = .81818 Melissa Equation in the form of a pending point y+2=1/6(×-4) Jose Reply write in simplest form 3 4/2 August definition of quadratic formula Ahmed Reply From Google: The quadratic formula, , is used in algebra to solve quadratic equations (polynomial equations of the second degree). The general form of a quadratic equation is , where x represents a variable, and a, b, and c are constants, with . A quadratic equation has two solutions, called roots. Melissa what is the answer of w-2.6=7.55 What Reply 10.15 Michael w = 10.15 You add 2.6 to both sides and then solve for w (-2.6 zeros out on the left and leaves you with w= 7.55 + 2.6) Korin Nataly is considering two job offers. The first job would pay her$83,000 per year. The second would pay her $66,500 plus 15% of her total sales. What would her total sales need to be for her salary on the second offer be higher than the first? Mckenzie Reply x >$110,000
bruce
greater than \$110,000
Michael