New
New
Year 10
Higher

Checking and securing understanding of simplifying

I can simplify expressions by collecting like terms.

New
New
Year 10
Higher

Checking and securing understanding of simplifying

I can simplify expressions by collecting like terms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Like terms and their coefficients can be identified.
  2. Like terms can be represented using a bar model.
  3. Like terms can be collected together, paying careful attention to coefficients.
  4. Expressions are easier to read once you have collected all the like terms.

Common misconception

It can be hard to spot like terms where there are multiple variables with exponents. Therefore opportunities to simplify by collecting like terms can be missed.

When multiplying variables together, write the variables in alphabetical order. This will make it easier to identify like terms.

Keywords

  • Like terms - Like terms are terms that have the same set of variables and corresponding exponents.

  • Simplify - Simplifying is to write an expression in a more efficient and compact form without affecting the value of the original expression. Fully simplifying means the expression cannot be simplified further.

Grouping terms and treating equivalent expressions as 'like terms' is a useful skill when factorising quadratics in the future. Spend time making sure pupils are aware of the equivalence of (x+2)(x+5) and x(x+5) + 2(x+5) so this can be used when expanding and factorising later on.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Collect the following like terms: $$3a + 5a = \square a$$
Correct Answer: 8
Q2.
Simplify the following: $$4b - 2b = \square b$$
Correct answer: 2
6
8
Q3.
Which statement is true?
Correct answer: $$5c^2 + 3c^2 = 8c^2$$
$$5c^2 + 3c^2 = 2c^2$$
$$5c^2 + 3c^2 = 8c^4$$
Q4.
Simplify the following: $$7d - 4(d+2)= 3d$$
Correct Answer: -8
Q5.
Simplify the following: $$9f - 5f = \square f$$
Correct Answer: 4
Q6.
Simplify the following: $$5j - 2j +j^2= \square$$
Correct answer: $$j^2+3j$$
$$j^2-3j$$
$$4j$$

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these equations is correct?
Correct answer: $$2(x + 3) + 4x = 6(x+1)$$
$$2(x + 3) + 4x = 6(x+3)$$
$$2(x + 3) + 4x = 6(x-1)$$
Q2.
Simplify the following: $$3y - 2y + y = \square y$$
Correct Answer: 2
Q3.
Simplify the following: $$5x + 5 - 3x = \square x + 5$$
Correct Answer: 2
Q4.
Simplify the following: $$5(x - 2) - 2(x - 2) = \square(x - 2)$$
Correct answer: 3
7
5
Q5.
Simplify the following: $$7(3x + 4) - (3x + 4) = \square(3x + 4) $$
Correct Answer: 6
Q6.
Simplify the following: $$7(x + 2) - 5(x + 2) = \square(x + 2)$$
Correct Answer: 2