When you start learning algebra, it’s really important to know the difference between like and unlike terms. So, what do these terms mean?

Like Terms: These are terms that have the same variable and the same exponent. For example, $3x$ and $5x$ are like terms because they both use the variable $x$.

Unlike Terms: These terms are different in either their variable or their exponent. For example, $4x$ and $4y$ are unlike terms because they have different variables.

Now, how do these terms affect algebraic equations? When you’re trying to simplify expressions, you can only combine like terms. For example, if you have $2x + 3x$, you can add those together to get $5x$. But you can’t combine $2x + 3y$ because they are unlike terms.

This difference is really important when you are solving equations! If you confuse like and unlike terms, you might get the wrong answer. So, keep them straight and your equations will be much easier to handle!