Combine like terms 7a+4b-3a-2b

Combining like terms:

- Could combine numbers that have the same variable

- Numbers with no variable.

7a - 3a = 4a

4b - 2b = 2b

4a + 2b is the final answer

Like terms ...

Well step 1 is to know what a term is. A term, in regards to math, is basically the things between any operation sign (+, -, *, / ). Every time you see one of those signs in a problem, you're beginning a new term.

Step 2 is to locate the different terms in this problem. Remember, everything you see up until an operation sign is part of the term. Your term list, for this problem, is:

7a

4b

-3a

-2b

Got it? Cool. Now, we can find the like terms. a like term is a term whose variable and exponents are the same as another like term. Since none of these have exponents, do you see any terms that have matching variables (which is the letter following the coefficient, which is the number) ? Yep! In fact, there are two sets!

First set of like terms: 7a and - 3a

Second set of like terms: 4b and - 2b

Now that we have our like terms, we have to combine them! Ignore the variable for now ... In the first set of like terms, what is 7-3? 4! For the second set, what is 4-2? 2! Since the first set goes with the variable "a", and the second set goes with the variable "b", you should get, as your final answer, 4a + 2b.