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Chapter 5 · Expressions · page 22 of 68

Terms and coefficients

levelGrade 6
standard6.EE.A.2
practiceLike terms and distributing

An expression is a sum of terms. A term is a number, a variable, or a number times variables. The number in front is the coefficient. A plain x has a coefficient of 1 that is not written.

How to use it

  1. Split the expression at every + and − that is not inside parentheses.
  2. Each piece, with its sign, is a term.
  3. The coefficient is the number part. No number means 1. A minus alone means −1.

Example

5x−3+xterms: 5x, −3, x5x - 3 + x \quad \text{terms: } 5x,\ -3,\ x
coefficients: 5, (constant), 1\text{coefficients: } 5,\ \text{(constant)},\ 1

Where it goes wrong

  • Treating x as having coefficient 0 and dropping it. x + 3x is 4x, not 3x.
  • Losing the sign when pulling a term out.

Related

Like termsThe sign belongs to the termWhat x means
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