Idiot\'s Guides Basic Math and Pre-Algebra

Chapter 9: Adding and Subtracting with Variables 119

The Least You Need to Know

• A term is a constant, a variable, or the product of a constant and a variable.


• Terms are “like” if they contain exactly the same variables, raised to the same
  power, such as 2y and 10y.


• Only like terms can be combined.


• To add or subtract like terms, add or subtract the coefficients and keep the vari-
  able part the same.


• A polynomial is a sum of terms using different powers of the same variable.
  A monomial has one term, a binomial has two terms, and a trinomial has three
  terms.