What are like terms?

Like terms are defined as terms in an algebraic expression that have identical variable parts, meaning that their variables and the corresponding exponents must be the same. For instance, in the terms 3x² and 5x², both terms feature the variable x raised to the second power, making them like terms. This characteristic allows like terms to be combined through addition or subtraction because they represent the same quantity.

The ability to identify like terms is fundamental when simplifying expressions or solving equations, as only these terms can be combined to form a simpler expression. Thus, recognizing that terms like 2xy and 5xy can be combined while terms like 3x and 4y cannot, illustrates the importance of this definition in algebraic manipulation.

While other definitions might touch on aspects of terms in equations or their numerical values, they do not capture the specific criteria that categorize terms as alike or not.