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Procedure for Combining Like Terms

Combining like terms is a systematic, three-step procedure used to simplify algebraic expressions:

  1. Identify: Locate the like terms within the expression—these are terms that share the exact same variables raised to the identical exponents.
  2. Rearrange: Reorder the expression so that the identified like terms are grouped adjacent to one another.
  3. Combine: Add or subtract the numerical coefficients of each group of like terms, leaving the variable portion of the terms completely unchanged.

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Updated 2026-05-30

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