Equivalent expressions with distribution and negative numbers | 7th grade | Khan Academy

TL;DR

Practice identifying equivalent expressions by simplifying and combining like terms.

Transcript

• Let's get some practice identifying equivalent expressions. So I have an expression written here in yellow and then I have two more written in this light green color. And I want you to pause this video and see if you can figure out which of these expressions, and it's possible that neither of them are, which of these are equivalent to the one in ... Read More

Key Insights

• 😑 Equivalent expressions have the same value for all possible values of the variables.
• 😑 Simplifying expressions involves combining like terms and distributing.
• 🍉 Distributing involves multiplying each term inside parentheses by the term outside.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can you determine if two expressions are equivalent?

To determine if two expressions are equivalent, simplify both expressions by combining like terms and then compare the simplified forms. If the simplified forms are identical, the expressions are equivalent.

Q: What does it mean to combine like terms?

Combining like terms involves adding or subtracting terms that have the same variable(s) raised to the same power(s). For example, in the expression -6x + 4x, the like terms are -6x and 4x, which can be combined to give -2x.

Q: What is the importance of simplifying expressions?

Simplifying expressions allows you to see the relationship between different expressions and determine if they are equivalent. It also makes solving equations and performing other algebraic operations easier.

Q: Can you explain the process of distributing in simplifying expressions?

Distributing involves multiplying each term inside a set of parentheses by the term outside the parentheses. This helps simplify expressions by removing parentheses and combining like terms.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The video shows examples of identifying equivalent expressions by simplifying and combining like terms.

• Three expressions are given and simplified to show that they are all equivalent.

• A second example is provided to show how to determine if two expressions are equivalent by simplifying and comparing.