What are like terms in Algebra?

Like terms in algebra are terms containing the same variables raised to the same exponent (or power). Like terms may have different coefficients. Example 1 2 x , -3 x , (1/2) x , 0.1 x are all like terms since they contain the same (one) variable x to the same power 1.(Remember x = x1) Example 2 2 x and -4 x2 are not like terms since they contain the same (one) variable x but not to the same power: the power of x in the term 2 x is equal to 1 and the power of x in the term -4 x2 is 2. Example 3 - (1/2) x y2 and 8 x y2 are like terms since they contain the same variable x and y to the same power: the power of x is 1 in both terms and the power of y is 2 in both terms. Example 4 5 x3 y2 , -11 x y2 are not like terms since they contain the same variable x and y BUT not to the same power: the power of x in the term 5 x3 y2 is 3 and the power of x in the term 11 x y2 is 1.

Multiple Choice Questions 1. Which of the lists below contains like terms only? A. 2x , -3x2 , -x y , 1/x B. - x , 3 x , 4 C. -x , x , 4x , 0.2 x , (1/4) x D. x , -3 , 99 x , 9 2. Which of the terms below is a like term to - 6 x y? A. - 6 x B. - 6 x y2 C. - 6 x y-1 D. - 10 x y 3. Which of the lists below contains unlike (not like) terms? A. 2x , -3x , -x , 0.01 x B. x , 5x2 , 99 x y , 9 C. -x , x , 4x , 0.2 x , (1/4) x D. - 2 , 7 , 4 , 89

4. Which of the lists below contains like terms only? A. 6x , -3x2 , - 10 x y , 1/x B. - x , 3 x , 4 C. x y , -3 x y , 0.002 x , (1/4) x y D. x y , -3 x y , 0.002 x y , (1/4) x y 5. Which of the terms below is a like term to - x2 y? A. - 4 y x2 B. - x y2 C. - 8 y x-2 D. - x y 6. Which of the terms below is a NOT a like term to 3 x y2? A. - 4 y2 x B. - (1/6) x y2 C. - 8 x y-2 D. 0.00001 x y2 7. Which of the lists below contains unlike (not like) terms? A. 2 y2 x2 , -3 x2 y2 , x2 y2 , 0.09 y2 x2 B. x2 y2 , 7 x2 y, 99 x y , 11 C. - 4 x , x , 4.5 x , 12 x , (1/8) x D. - 11 , 0.002 , 1/2 , 4.5 8. Which of the lists below contains like terms only? A. 3 x2 y3 , -3 y2 x3 , - 10 y2 x3 , 1/y2 x3 B. - x , 3 x2 , 4 y2 x2 C. x y , -3 x2 y2 , 0.002 x , (1/4) x y D. - x3 y3 , -3 y3 x3 , 0.04 x3 y3 , 1.2 x3 y3 9. Of the four terms below which is not a like term to the three others? A. - y4 x B. - (1/2) x y4 C. - y4 x4 D. - 12 y4 x\ 10. Which of the terms below is a NOT a like term to -9? A. - 4.99 y0 B. - (1/6) C. - 0.007 D. - 9 x

Multiple Choice Questions 1. Which of the lists below contains like terms only? A. 2x , -3x2 , -x y , 1/x B. - x , 3 x , 4 C. -x , x , 4x , 0.2 x , (1/4) x D. x , -3 , 99 x , 9 2. Which of the terms below is a like term to - 6 x y? A. - 6 x B. - 6 x y2 C. - 6 x y-1 D. - 10 x y 3. Which of the lists below contains unlike (not like) terms? A. 2x , -3x , -x , 0.01 x B. x , 5x2 , 99 x y , 9 C. -x , x , 4x , 0.2 x , (1/4) x D. - 2 , 7 , 4 , 89 4. Which of the lists below contains like terms only? A. 6x , -3x2 , - 10 x y , 1/x B. - x , 3 x , 4 C. x y , -3 x y , 0.002 x , (1/4) x y D. x y , -3 x y , 0.002 x y , (1/4) x y 5. Which of the terms below is a like term to - x2 y? A. - 4 y x2 B. - x y2 C. - 8 y x-2 D. - x y 6. Which of the terms below is a NOT a like term to 3 x y2? A. - 4 y2 x B. - (1/6) x y2 C. - 8 x y-2 D. 0.00001 x y2 7. Which of the lists below contains unlike (not like) terms? A. 2 y2 x2 , -3 x2 y2 , x2 y2 , 0.09 y2 x2 B. x2 y2 , 7 x2 y, 99 x y , 11 C. - 4 x , x , 4.5 x , 12 x , (1/8) x D. - 11 , 0.002 , 1/2 , 4.5 8. Which of the lists below contains like terms only? A. 3 x2 y3 , -3 y2 x3 , - 10 y2 x3 , 1/y2 x3 B. - x , 3 x2 , 4 y2 x2 C. x y , -3 x2 y2 , 0.002 x , (1/4) x y D. - x3 y3 , -3 y3 x3 , 0.04 x3 y3 , 1.2 x3 y3 9. Of the four terms below which is not a like term to the three others? A. - y4 x B. - (1/2) x y4 C. - y4 x4 D. - 12 y4 x\ 10. Which of the terms below is a NOT a like term to -9? A. - 4.99 y0

B. - (1/6) C. - 0.007 D. - 9 x