Simplifying expressions (grade 7/prealgebra video lesson)

Learn the parts of an expression: a term, a coefficient, and a constant. "Like terms" are terms with same variable parts, such as 3y and 7y. (Note that 3y² and 7y are NOT like terms.) We can combine (add/subtract) like terms and thus simplify expressions.

I also show an example of an expression where the only operation is multiplication — yes, we can simplify it but in that case, the simplification is not based on any like terms. Lastly, I explain why we are allowed to combine like terms... this principle in algebra is actually based on the distributive property!

See also

The Order of Operations — video lesson

Math Mammoth Grade 7 curriculum (pre-algebra)

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