Dr. Algebra

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Expressions

Expressions are groups of numbers and variables, and constants related by math operators like addition or multiplication.   Parts of expressions are often called terms.

Properties of Expressions:

    • They are NOT equations by themselves but are generally used in equations.
    • They can often be simplified.
    • They can be evaluated for particular values of variables

Examples of expressions:

    • 3                (A constant)            
    • 0                (yes, even ZERO is an expression)
    • 6+a            (A constant with a variable)
    • 2c               (A coeffecient with its variable)
    • (2x + 1)(3y – 4)       (A factored expression)
    • [katex]\sqrt{x\frac{20}{y}(3+y-2x)}[/katex]          (A radical expression)

Specific types of expressions commonly used in algebra:

    • Monomial Expressions
      • Have only one term in it such as the following examples
      • [katex]7[/katex], [katex]6x[/katex], [katex]2x^{2}[/katex]
    • Binomial Expressions
      • Have two terms like these examples
      • [katex]7+x[/katex], [katex]6x-9y[/katex], [katex]2xy^{2}+x[/katex]
    • Trinomial Expressions
      • Have three terms like these examples
      • [katex]7+x+y[/katex], [katex]6x-9y+xy[/katex], [katex]x^{3}+2x^{2}+x[/katex]
    • Polynomial Expressions
      • General term for expressions with more than one term such as:
      • [katex]7+x[/katex], [katex]6x-9y+xy+y^{3}[/katex], [katex]x^{3}+2x^{2}+6x-7[/katex]

∞    ∞    ∞    ∞