A coefficient is a number that stands in front of a variable, an expression, or a function. Below is an algebraic expression where the terms containing variables have the coefficients $2$ and $\text{-}5.$ Coefficients indicate how many times a particular variable appears in an expression. In this case, there are two $x^3\text{-}$terms and five $x\text{-}$terms. Note that a variable with a coefficient of $1$ is usually written as if it did not have a coefficient.