There are three steps to follow to combine like terms.
1
Identify Like Terms
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Start by identifying the like terms of the expression. These terms are the terms with the same variables raised to the same coefficients. Also, all constants are like terms.
2
Grouping Like Terms
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Then, rearrange the expression so that the like terms are grouped together. Remember that this is possible by the Commutative Property of Addition.
3
Add and Subtract the Coefficients
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Finally, like terms can be combined by adding or subtracting the coefficients of the variables as well as adding or subtracting the constants.
Now that all like terms have been combined, the initial expression, 7xy+2x−3xy−2x2+x+5x2, has been reduced to its simplest form, 4xy+3x+3x2.