2 Answers

Swserg · Answer 1 · 2023-01-02T07:14:16+0000

Given the expression:

$\displaystyle \large{4m + 5 - 3m}$

To simplify the expression, notice that 4m and 3m have the same term.

These are called like terms. Let's see some examples of like terms.

Then we also have the example of non-like term

50 and x both are not like terms because 50 is a constant and not a variable and x is not a number.
920x and 790y both are not like terms because both have different variables.
x and x^2 are not like terms as well because different degrees.

In conclusion,

And that brings us to this topic, to evaluate or simplify the expression with two like terms and one non-like term.

Note that only like terms can evaluate. Let's see some examples:

5x+9x would be 14x since they are like terms and thus can be evaluated.
x+x would be 2x. x is equivalent to 1x so 1x+1x = 2x. They are also like terms as well.

How about a subtraction?

But what if it's non-like terms? Simple, we keep it like that!

So to simplify the expression in the question, we evaluate like terms first!

Since 4m and 3m both are like terms. We can do 4m-3m.

$\displaystyle \large{4m + 5 - 3m} \\ \displaystyle \large{4m - 3m + 5}$

Evaluate 4m-3m

$\displaystyle \large{1m + 5}$

We don't usually write 1m so we keep as m instead.

$\displaystyle \large{m + 5}$

Now, can we evaluate m+5? No, because m and 5 are not like terms so we keep like this.

Hence, the answer is m+5

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