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Auralith Learning

Year 7 · Maths · Algebraic notation · Lesson 2

Simplifying expressions

Identify like terms, collect like terms to simplify expressions, and multiply simple algebraic terms.

Whiteboard video lesson: Simplifying expressions

23-minute video lesson

Teaching, worked examples and 20 practice questions solved step by step.

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What your child will learn

  • Know what a term is
  • Identify like terms
  • Collect like terms
  • Simplify expressions with several letters
  • Multiply algebraic terms

The method

  1. Find like terms (same letters).
  2. Add or subtract the numbers in front.
  3. Keep the sign with each term.
  4. Multiplying: numbers × numbers, letters together.

Key words: term, like terms, simplify, expression, collect.

Worked examples

The first three practice questions from the lesson, with every step.

Question 1

Simplify b + b + b

  1. Step 1: Like terms: same letter part
  2. Step 2: 'b' terms: b + b + b = 3b

Answer: 3b

Question 2

Simplify 2m + 6m

  1. Step 1: Like terms: same letter part
  2. Step 2: 'm' terms: 2m + 6m = 8m

Answer: 8m

Question 3

Simplify 9p − 4p

  1. Step 1: Like terms: same letter part
  2. Step 2: 'p' terms: 9p − 4p = 5p

Answer: 5p