GCSE Maths – Algebra
Collecting Like Terms
Worksheet
This worksheet will show you how to work out different types of collecting like
terms questions. Each section contains a worked example, a question with
hints and then questions for you to work through on your own.
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Section A
Worked Example
Simplify the expression 𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕 + 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 − 𝟗𝟗𝟕𝟕 + 𝟑𝟑𝟕𝟕𝟐𝟐 + 𝟐𝟐𝟖𝟖 − 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
Step 1: Identify the ‘like terms’ to make it clear which terms we can combine.
7𝑥𝑥 + 8𝑦𝑦 − 9𝑥𝑥 + 3𝑥𝑥 2 + 2𝑦𝑦 − 10
Here, we have four types of terms: the ‘𝑥𝑥’ term, the ‘𝑦𝑦’ term, the ‘𝑥𝑥 2 ’ term and the constant
term.
Step 2: Rearrange the expression so the like terms can be placed together.
+7𝑥𝑥 − 9𝑥𝑥 + 8𝑦𝑦 + 2𝑦𝑦 + 3𝑥𝑥 2 − 10
Remember to include the invisible + sign that is front of the first term, i.e., the ‘ 7𝑥𝑥’ in this
example.
Step 3: Combine the like terms by summing them together.
+7𝑥𝑥 − 9𝑥𝑥 + 8𝑦𝑦 + 2𝑦𝑦 + 3𝑥𝑥 2 − 10
⇒ −2𝑥𝑥 + 10𝑦𝑦 + 3𝑥𝑥2 − 10
So, the final answer is −𝟐𝟐𝟕𝟕 + 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟖𝟖 + 𝟑𝟑𝟕𝟕𝟐𝟐 − 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
Guided Example
Simplify the expression 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 + 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟔𝟔 + 𝟏𝟏𝟕𝟕𝟓𝟓 + 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 + 𝟕𝟕𝟔𝟔𝟑𝟑 − 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟔𝟔 + 𝟑𝟑𝟔𝟔𝟓𝟓 − 𝟔𝟔𝟑𝟑
Step 1: Identify the ‘like terms’ to make it clear which terms we can combine.
Step 2: Rearrange the expression so the like terms can be placed together.
Step 3: Combine the like terms by summing them together.
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Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.
1. Simplify the following algebraic expressions:
a) 5𝑝𝑝 + 7𝑞𝑞 + 10 + 15𝑝𝑝 − 7𝑞𝑞 + 8𝑡𝑡 − 3
b) 16 + 8𝑑𝑑 + 9𝑒𝑒 − 82 + 7𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑒 + 5 − 𝑑𝑑
c) 92 + 7𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 16 + 8𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 9𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
d) 34𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 17 + 52𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 18𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 2 + 62 + 19𝑎𝑎2 𝑎𝑎 −
e) 62𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦 + 17𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦𝑥𝑥 + 64 + 𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦 − 18𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦𝑥𝑥 + 9𝑦𝑦 + 21 + 92𝑦𝑦𝑥𝑥
f) 𝑥𝑥 2 − 𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦 2 + 𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦 − 𝑦𝑦 2 + 1 − 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦𝑥𝑥
g) 23 − 𝑎𝑎 + 𝑎𝑎 − 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑎𝑎 2 − 𝑎𝑎2 𝑎𝑎 2 − 2𝑎𝑎 − (3𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎)2
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