All ISEE Upper Level Math Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : How To Add Variables
Simplify:
Example Question #2 : How To Add Variables
Simplify:
First, rewrite the problem so that like terms are next to each other.
Next, evaluate the terms in parentheses.
Rewrite the expression in simplest form.
Example Question #1 : How To Add Variables
Simplify:
First we rewrite the problem so that like terms are together.
Next we can place like terms in parentheses and evaluate the parentheses.
Now we rewrite the equation in simplest form.
Example Question #3 : How To Add Variables
Which expression is equivalent to the expression ?
The first step in simplifying this expression is to get the binomial out of the parentheses. It's important to note you cannot further simplify this binomial first, since there are no like terms in it.
Since you have a minus sign in front of the binomial, you need to flip the sign of both terms inside the parentheses to get rid of the parentheses (similar to distributing a negative one across the binomial):
Now you are able to combine like terms, making sure that exponents on the variables match exactly before you combine. The first and fourth terms are like terms, and the second and third terms are like terms.
To combine those terms, keep the variables and exponents the same and add up the coefficients. The first term has a coefficient of and the fourth term has a coefficient of , so they add up to a total of . The second term has a coefficient of and the third term has a coefficient of , so they add up to a total of .
This brings you to the final, simplified answer:
Example Question #2 : How To Add Variables
Simplify:
Combine like terms:
Example Question #6 : How To Add Variables
Simplify the following:
To simplify this expression, you need to combine like terms.
There are two terms with , one term with , and two terms without a variable.
This gives you the final answer:
Remember that when you subtract by a negative number, you are actually adding the inverse - thereby adding a positive number.
Example Question #7 : How To Add Variables
Simplify the following:
In this problem, you need to combine like terms. Be very careful when combining like terms, since a few terms differ only by a few exponents. You have two terms with , two terms with , and one term with .
This leads to the final answer:
Example Question #3 : How To Add Variables
Multiply:
Example Question #4 : How To Add Variables
Simplify:
Combine like terms:
Example Question #10 : How To Add Variables
If two supplementary angles are equal to and , then what is the value of ?
The sum of two supplementary angles is always 180 degrees; therefore: