Term

Definition

A term is a basic unit within a mathematical expression or equation. It represents a specific quantity or value that is combined with other terms through mathematical operations to form the overall expression or equation.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. A term can be a single number, variable, or a combination of numbers and variables with mathematical operations.
2. Terms are separated by mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
3. The order of terms within an expression can affect the value of the overall expression.
4. Simplifying an expression involves combining like terms, which are terms with the same variables raised to the same power.
5. Evaluating an expression involves substituting known values for the variables and then performing the necessary calculations.

Review Questions

• Explain how the concept of a term relates to the process of evaluating mathematical expressions.
  • The concept of a term is fundamental to evaluating mathematical expressions. When evaluating an expression, you need to identify the individual terms, which may be numbers, variables, or combinations of both. Once the terms are recognized, you can substitute the known values for the variables and then perform the necessary operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, to calculate the overall value of the expression.
• Describe the role of terms in the process of simplifying mathematical expressions.
  • Simplifying a mathematical expression involves manipulating the terms within the expression. This includes combining like terms, which are terms with the same variables raised to the same power. By identifying and combining like terms, you can reduce the expression to its simplest form, making it easier to understand and work with. The order of the terms within the expression can also affect the overall simplification process.
• Analyze how the concept of a term is used in the translation of real-world situations into mathematical expressions.
  • Translating real-world situations into mathematical expressions requires identifying the relevant quantities and variables, and then representing them as terms within the expression. For example, in the expression $2x + 3y$, the term $2x$ represents twice the value of the variable $x$, and the term $3y$ represents three times the value of the variable $y$. The ability to recognize and manipulate these terms is crucial for accurately translating real-world problems into mathematical form, which is a key step in the problem-solving process.

Related terms

Expression: A mathematical expression is a combination of terms, variables, and operations that represent a single value or quantity.

Equation:

An equation is a mathematical statement that shows two equal expressions connected by the equals sign.

Variable:

A variable is a symbol, usually a letter, that represents an unknown or changing quantity within a mathematical expression or equation.