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Simplifying Expressions

Mike McGarry
Lesson by Mike McGarry
Magoosh Expert
Quiz
Algebra
Summary
The essence of simplifying algebraic expressions lies in understanding and applying the fundamental principles of combining like terms and manipulating parentheses.
  • Combining like terms involves adding or subtracting terms with the same variable parts, which is a cornerstone of algebraic simplification.
  • The distributive law allows for the simplification of expressions by grouping like terms, which can significantly streamline complex algebraic expressions.
  • Multiplication is commutative, meaning the order of factors does not affect the product, allowing for flexibility in identifying like terms.
  • When dealing with parentheses, removing them involves either directly erasing them in the case of addition or changing each term to its opposite sign in the case of subtraction.
  • Practical exercises in simplifying algebraic expressions underscore the importance of these concepts and provide a foundation for more advanced algebraic manipulation.
Chapters
00:02
Understanding Like Terms
00:43
The Role of the Distributive Law
02:46
Commutativity in Multiplication
04:18
Simplifying Expressions Involving Parentheses