Parts of an Expression
Have you ever wondered what your desk was made of, more specifically the wood and the metal? What is the tiniest or most basic building block that creates ‘things’ in life? What are math’s most basic building blocks?
What are the parts of an expression?
First, before we look at the parts of an expression, what is an expression?
An expression in math is simply a statement created using math terms and operations and no equal or inequality sign is present.
What is an expression.pdfSo, what is a math term?
Math Terms
A term in math can be a single variable, a constant or a combination of variables and a coefficient.
Math Terms.pdfNeed help with 'Like Terms' check out the fundamental Simplifying Expressions!
So, a term can include constants, variables, coefficients and a combination of all three, but what are constants, variables and coefficients?
Math Constants, Variables, and Coefficients
A constant is any number that stands alone.
A variable is any letter or symbol that represents an unknown.
A coefficient is the number being multiplied in front of a variable or product of variables.
Math Constants, Variables, and Coefficients.pdfMath Terms Extension: Digging in Deeper
Math Terms Extension.pdfHow do you indentify the parts of an expression?
How do you identify parts of an expression.pdfWhy do we learn about parts of an expression?
By creating expressions and identifying the parts of expressions, mathematicians were able to start creating a language or a language of math. Math has always been discovered, invented, and created to better understand, and explain the world around us. Expressions can be created to simply represent an increase of 2: x + 2. More complex expressions can be used to represent a temperature conversion, such as converting Celsius (C) to its equivalent Fahrenheit temperature: 1.8C + 32. Essentially learning about the parts of an expression is like learning the different parts of speech. Parts of an expression are a means to communicate.
What’s next? After expressions are created many times that expression can be simplified, check out the fundamental Simplifying Expressions!
Expressions are also used to write equations, check out the fundamental Problem Solving: Writing 1-Variable Equations!
