1Cademy - Identifying Terms in an Expression

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Algebraic Term

Example

Identifying Terms in an Expression

To identify the terms within an algebraic expression, locate the parts of the expression separated by addition ( $+$ ) or subtraction ( $-$ ) signs. Each separated part is a single term.

In $9x^2 + 7x + 12$ , the addition signs divide the expression into three terms: $9x^2$ , $7x$ , and ${12}$ .
In $8x + 3y$ , the addition sign separates two terms: $8x$ and $3y$ .

A standalone constant such as ${12}$ qualifies as its own term, and terms with different variable parts—like $9x^2$ (involving $x$ squared) versus $7x$ (involving $x$ to the first power)—are counted as distinct terms.

Updated 2026-04-21

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OpenStax Elementary Algebra

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