Like Terms
Monomials that have the same variable factors are called like terms.
The simplest “like terms” are numbers (constants).
Remember the “variable” in a constant term is represented as x0, which is 1.
5 = 5x0 = 5 • 1 = 5
The terms 4x² and 5x² are like terms because each term has x² as a common factor. Because these values are like terms, they can be combined by addition or subtraction. Simply add or subtract the numbers in front of the terms (called coefficients).
4x² + 5x² = 9x²
Algebra tiles can help you recognize and work with like terms.
Tiles of the same size represent like terms.
