Question

In this expression, Marianne claims that 2x and –x are not like terms because –x does not have a coefficient. Is she correct? Explain your reasoning.

Answer 1

No, Marianne is not correct. The coefficient of -x is -1. The "1' is just omitted and only the negative is kept because showing 1 is unnecessary as 1 multiplied by anything is itself.

Answer 2

Like terms are expressions with the same variable.

Marianne's claim is incorrect.

The terms are given as: $\mathbf{2x\ and\ -x}$

To determine if the terms of an expression are like terms or not, we look at the variables, and not the coefficient.

The variable of 2x and -x is x.

This means that: the common variable (x) makes 2x and -x, like terms.

Hence, Marianne's claim is incorrect.

Read more about like terms at:

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