SRI VANI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL [IN881], Rajajinagar
Class: CP3 Subject: Mathematics
Topic: Chapter 2- Algebraic Expressions
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF ALGEBRA
Constants: A symbol which has a fixed value is called a constant.
Example: 3, -4, 0, 7 etc.
Variables: A symbol which can be assigned various values is called a variable.
Example: x, y, p, q, 5x, 3+x,
Note: The combination of a constant and a variable is always a variable.
Example: (i) In 3x, 3 is a constant and x is a variable but together 3x is a variable.
The reason being - as the value of x changes, the value of 3x also changes.
When x = 1, then 3x = 3 × 1 =3
x = 2, then 3x = 3 × 2 =6
(ii) x + 5 is also a variable
When x =0, then x + 5 = 0+5 =5
x = 1, then x + 5 = 1 + 5 =6
x = -3, then x + 5 = -3 + 5 = +2
Term: A term is a constant or a variable or a product of constant and variable or
quotient of constant and variables.
Example: 4 is a term, which is a constant.
y is a term, which is a variable.
4x is a term, which is the product of a constant and a variable.
2a2b is a term, which is a product of constant and variable.
3 ÷ y or is a term, which is the quotient of a constant and a variable.
A term is called a constant term if it does not contain any
variable. So, 3, -20, , etc. is a constant term.
Algebraic expression: An algebraic expression is a collection of one or more
terms, which are separated from each other by + or – sign.
Types of algebraic expressions:
Sl. No Types Condition Examples
1 Monomial Only one term 3, xy, , -
2 Binomial Two terms 5b – 2, 3x + 5ab, +
3 Polynomial One or more terms Every monomial, binomial,
trinomial and multinomial is a
polynomial.
Note: Terms are separated by plus (+) and minus (-) only.
The multiplication (×) and division (÷) do not separate the terms
Thus, 3p +5z -7y has three terms, whereas 3p ×5z – 7y has two terms
only. 8 - 4x +7y +2z has four terms, whereas 8 ×4x ×7y ÷ 2z has only
one term.
Products: A product is the result of the multiplication of two or more constants or
variable or of both.
Example: 4ab is the product of 4, a and b
xyz is the product of x, y and z.
Factors: Each of the quantities multiplied together to form a product is called a
factor
Example: 2 × 3 = 6
6 is a multiple of 2 and 3
2 and 3 is a factor of 6
7× 3 = 21
21 is a multiple of 7 and 3
7 and 3 is a factor of 21
3xy = 3 × x × y
Here 3, x, y are the factors of 3xyz
8abc = 8× a × b × c
Here 8, a, b, c are the factors of 8abc
Co-efficient: In a monomial, any factor or group of factors of a term is known as
the co –efficient of remaining factors.
Example: In a monomial 3axy
3 is a coefficient of axy, a is a coefficient of 3xy, x is a coefficient of 3ay,
y is a coefficient of 3ax.
3x is a coefficient of ay, 3xy is a coefficient of a, ax is a coefficient of 3y.
If a factor is a numerical quantity, it is called a numerical coefficient of
the remaining factors and if a factor involves variables, it is called a
variable coefficient of the remaining factors.
In 5xy , 5 is a numerical coefficient of xy , x is a variable coefficient of
5y,
xy is a variable coefficient of 5, y is a variable coefficient of 5x, 5y is a
variable coefficient of x and so on.
Note: When the coefficient is 1, it is usually omitted, so 1b is written as b.
Like terms: The terms having the same variable coefficients are called like
terms. They may differ only in their numerical coefficients.
Example: xy, 5xy, -4xy are like terms.
x2y, 2yx2, 4x2y, -8yx2 are like terms.
2a2b, 2a2b, 6a2b are like terms.
Unlike terms: The terms which do not have the same variable co-efficients
are called unlike terms.
Example: 3x2y, 4xy2, 3xy are unlike terms.
6a, 6p, 6ab are unlike terms.
2a2, 4a, 7ab2 are unlike terms.
Note: Keywords
ADDITION SUBTRACTION MULTIPLICATION DIVISION
Sum Subtracted Multiplied Divided by
Added to from Product of Distributed
Increased Difference times equally
by between
Decreased by
Exceeds
Less than