SIMPLIFYING ALGEBRAIC

EXPRESSIONS
ADDING LIKE TERMS
MULTIPLYING LIKE TERMS
SIMPLIFYING EXPRESSIONS
REPLACING LETTERS WITH NUMBERS TO
GET A VALUE FOR AN EXPRESSION
USING FORMULAS
REMOVING BRACKETS

ADDING LIKE TERMS

3+3+3+3

4 X3
This gives the
a+ a+a +a

4a

Can be written in the shorter form

Meaning that we have
4 bundles of 3s

VALUE

12

Can be written in the shorter form

We cannot give a value for 4a until we
are given a value for a

If a = 7

4a

Then by replacing a with 7

4 x(7)

= 28

So a value for the expression 4a

when a = 7 is

28

Some examples
Simplify the following expressions
3a + 2a

5b 2b

= a+a+a
= 5a

+ a+a

= b+b+b+b+b
= 3b

Combine all the

as together to
get one term
-

b+b
Take 2 bs away
from the 5 bs

Simplifying expressions with numbers

and different letters
Simplify

3a + 2b + 5a + 3b + 7

3a + 5a +

8a

2b + 3b

5b

8a + 5b +7

WE can
only add or
subtract like
terms to
each other

Multiplying like terms

Can be written in the shorter form

2 X 2 X 2 X 2 X2

This means that 2 is

multiplied by itself 5 times

This gives a

value

aXaXaXaXa

a5

32
Can be written in the shorter form
We cannot get a value for a5 until
we are given a value for a

If a = 7 then

a5

75

=16807
So a value for the expression
when a = 7
is
16807

a5

Some examples
Simplify the following expressions
3a x a

=3xaxaxa x a
=

3b x 2b

We now have 3 times a

multiplied by itself 4
times

3 a4

=3x2
=6
=6b

x
x

bxb
b2

Multiply the numbers

together and multiply
the letters together
Write product
without
multiplication sign

Examples with numbers and letters

3b2 X 4b3
3X4
12
12

b2X b3
X
X

bXb X bXbXb
b5

Multiply the
numbers together

b2X b3 = b2+3 =b5

Add the
powers

Simplify

REMEMBER

r = r1

4r x 6s x r2 x s3
= 4x6

s x s3

Multiply similar letters

together by adding the powers

Multiply the
numbers together
24

r x r2

r1+2

=24 r3s4

s1+3

When we multiply letters and

numbers first put the numbers next
the letters in alphabetical order and
we do not need the X sign

Order of operations
5+2x3

11

Not 21

In mathematics we have rules

Multiplication or division is calculated before
addition or subtraction
2xa +5
62xb

Is simplified to
Is simplified to

2a + 5
6-2b

Have you got it yet ?

Simplify the following
1. 2a + 3a
2. 3a + 4b + 2a + 5b
3.

bxbxbxb

4. b x b x c x c x c

5a

8 . 3m + 2m + 7

5m+ 7

9. 6j 3j + j

4j

b4

10. 3s x 4s x 6

72b2

b2c3

11. 3 x s + 7

3s+7

12. 6 + 3 x d

6+3d

13 . 10n 2 x 3n

4n

14. 8b 3 x b2

8b . 3 b2

5a + 9b

5. 4b2 x 5b3

20b5

6. 3c x 4b

12bc

7. 2 c 4 + 3c4

5c4

Finding values for expressions

Find a value for the expression
3b =

3b

when b =7

3 x (7) = 21
Take out b and
replace it with 7
Put 7 inside a
bracket

21 is the value of
the expression

Find a value for the expression 3c + b

when c = 2 and b = 5
3c + b
= 3 x (2) + ( 5)

Replace c with 2
and
b with 5

= 6+5
= 11

11 is the value of the

expression

Find a value for the expressions

a) pq
b) 2p + q
c) 5pq +2p
e) 3 ( p + 2q )
f) ( p + q ) 2
when
p = 3 and q = 7
a)

pq

= (3) x (7)

b) 2p + q

= 21

= 2 x ( 3) + ( 7 )
=
6 + 7
= 13

d) q2 - p2
= (7)2 - (3)2

e) 3 ( p + 2q )

= 49 - 9
= 40

= 3 ( (7) + 2x(3) )
= 3( 7 + 6)
= 3 x 13 = 39

d) q2 - p2 when

c) 3pq + 2p
= 3x(3)x(7)+2x(3)
= 63 + 6
= 69
f)

(q-p)2

= ( (7) (3) ) 2
=(4)2
= 16