Real-life examples can help us understand algebraic expressions better! Here’s how you can use everyday situations to make it easier:

1. Shopping: Imagine you buy $x$ apples, and each apple costs £2. The total cost would be $2x$. If you then decide to buy 3 more apples, the total cost changes to $2(x + 3)$.

2. Time: Let’s say it takes $y$ minutes to walk to school. If you want to know how long it takes for $3$ trips to school, you can just multiply the time by $3$. So, the expression becomes $3y$.

By thinking about these everyday examples, algebra becomes easier to understand and more fun!