Simplifying Algebraic Expressions

You can use two main tools to simplify or rewrite algebraic expressions: combining like terms and using the distributive property. Watch this lecture series and complete the interactive exercises to practice these skills.

Combining like terms with rational coefficients - Questions

Answers

1. Use the distributive property to multiply the -2.5 into the parentheses.

= −2.5(4x−3)

= −2.5⋅(4x)+(−2.5)⋅(−3)

We expanded the expression by multiplying the -2.5 by both terms in the parentheses.

=-10x+7.5

The expanded expression is -10x+7.5.


2. Combine the coefficients of the b terms.

= =1.3b+7.8−3.2b

= (1.3−3.2)⋅b+7.8

= (−1.9)⋅b+7.8

= −1.9b+7.8

The simplified expression is −1.9b+7.8 .


3. Combine the coefficients of the p terms, and combine the constant terms.

= -\frac{2}{3} p+\frac{1}{5}-1+\frac{5}{6} p

= \left(-\frac{2}{3}+\frac{5}{6}\right) \cdot p+\frac{1}{5}-1

Group the p coefficients together, and group the numeric coefficients together.

= \left(-\frac{4}{6}+\frac{5}{6}\right) \cdot p+\frac{1}{5}-\frac{5}{5}

Rewrite −1 as -\frac{5}{5} to form common denominators.

= \left(\frac{1}{6}\right) \cdot p-\frac{4}{5}

=\frac{1}{6} p-\frac{4}{5}

The simplified expression is \frac{1}{6} p-\frac{4}{5}.


4. Use the distributive property to multiply the -3 into the parentheses.

= \frac{1}{7}-3\left(\frac{3}{7} n-\frac{2}{7}\right)

=  \frac{1}{7}+(-3) \cdot\left(\frac{3}{7} n\right)+(-3) \cdot\left(-\frac{2}{7}\right)

We expanded the expression by multiplying the -3 by both terms in the parentheses.

= \frac{1}{7}-\frac{9}{7} n+\frac{6}{7}

= -\frac{9}{7} n+\frac{7}{7}

We combined the numeric terms.

= -\frac{9}{7} n+1

The expanded expression is -\frac{9}{7} n+1.