What is an Expression in Algebra? 

An expression in algebra is a combination of numbers, variables, and an arithmetic operation. An expression cannot have an equal sign and must contain no constants. 

(Looking for the best apps for math homework? Contact us today!)

An equation, on the other hand, is two different expressions combined together with an equal sign. It is important for children to understand the difference between an expression and an equation because they will often encounter both during their time studying maths in school. 

What is an expression in algebra?

An algebraic expression is a mathematical phrase that uses coefficients, unknown variables, algebraic operations, and constants. The number 3 represents a coefficient. It is used to multiply x, which is a variable in the expression. It is also called a term. The numerical value of the variable is called a term. 

What is a variable?

A variable is a symbol that represents an unknown number or amount. Variables have a range of values (change). They are used to represent real-life situations. They can also be used in a variety of other ways to solve problems. 

What is an equation in algebra?

An equation is a combination of two algebraic expressions with an equal sign. It is a great way to practice combining and subtracting numbers. It also helps students learn the order of operations. When evaluating an algebraic expression, substitute each variable’s value into the equation and simplify using the order of operations. 

What is an expression in a real-life scenario?

A real-life situation can be used as an expression to help children learn the math skills needed to solve real-life problems. For example, Francine likes to save up her money and deposit it into a savings account. She also deposits her spending money into a jar each month. She can then use a simple expression to find how much she has saved each month. 

What is an expression in dividing groups of students?

In a problem that asks you to divide a class into groups of 2 students, you can use the mathematical symbols to represent g and write g * 2. This expression represents the total number of groups in Ms. Jensen’s class. 

What is an expression in multiplying variables?

The simplest form of an expression is a combination of one variable with itself. For instance, the expression b2 is formed by multiplying a variable b with itself. However, a more complex expression is a combination of two variables. 

What is an expression in combining constants with variable or literal terms?

An algebraic expression is a combination of constants and variable or literal terms connected by the signs of fundamental mathematical operations. The constants and variable or literal terms are called the terms of the expression. The terms can be single constants or multiple constants or they can be a combination of constants and variables or a product of a constant and a variable. 

What is a like term?

The like terms of an expression are the terms that have the same variables and exponents. For instance, x+5x, x+7, x+9, x+4, and x+3 are all like terms because they have the same variables. In addition, all constant terms are like terms because they have the same exponents.