SIMPLIFYING ALGEBRAIC

EXPRESSIONS
You can simplify algebraic expressions by collecting like terms.
Examples

1 Simplify

a 8ab  3ab  5ab

b 5pq  2pq  3qp  4pq

c 7y  4  2y  8  7y  4  2y  8

 5y  4

d 2x  3x  5  4x  7  2x  3x  5  4x  7

 5x  12

e x 2  3x  7  x 2  8x  10  x 2  3x  7  x 2  8x  10

 2x 2  5x  3
Simplifying algebraic expressions with brackets

2(x  4) means 2 lots of (x  4) or 2  (x  4)

x 4
The area of rectangle A = 2  x  2x
2 A B The area of rectangle B = 2  4  8
Total area = 2x + 8

The diagram shows that 2(x  4)  2x  8

When you multiply out the brackets you must multiply each term inside the
bracket by the term outside the bracket.

2 (x  4)  2x  8
Examples

1 Expand

a 3 (x  5)  3x  15

b 7 (x  2)  7x  14

c 5 (2y  4)  10y  20

d x (x  6)  x 2  6x

e 3 (5  7x)  15  21x

Examples

2 Expand and simplify

a 3 (x  5)  2 (x  3)  3x  15  2x  6

 5x  9

b 7 (2  x)  3 (2x  3)  14  7x  6x  9

 23  13x
2
c x (x  4)  2 (3x  1)  x  4x  6x  2

 x 2  2x  2