Like Terms in Algebra

Grade 7 Maths Questions and Problems With Answers

Grade 7 maths multiple choice questions on like terms in algebra with answers are presented.

What are like terms in Algebra?

Like terms in algebra are terms containing the same variables raised to the same exponent (or power). Like terms may have different coefficients.

Example 1


\( 2 x , -3 x , \dfrac{1}{2} x , 0.1 x \) are all like terms since they contain the same (one) variable x to the same power 1.(Note: \( x = x^1 \))

Example 2


\(2x\) and \(-4x^{2}\) are not like terms because they contain the same variable \(x\) but raised to different powers. In \(2x\), the exponent of \(x\) is \(1\), while in \(-4x^{2}\), the exponent of \(x\) is \(2\).

Example 3


\(- \dfrac{1}{2}xy^{2}\) and \(8xy^{2}\) are like terms because they contain the same variables \(x\) and \(y\) raised to the same powers: the exponent of \(x\) is \(1\) in both terms, and the exponent of \(y\) is \(2\) in both terms.

Example 4

\(5x^{3}y^{2}\) and \(-11xy^{2}\) are not like terms because they contain the same variables \(x\) and \(y\) but not raised to the same powers. In \(5x^{3}y^{2}\), the exponent of \(x\) is \(3\), while in \(-11xy^{2}\), the exponent of \(x\) is \(1\).

Multiple Choice Questions

  1. Which of the lists below contains like terms only?
    1. \(2x\), \(-3x^{2}\), \(-xy\), \( \dfrac{1}{x}\)
    2. \(-x\), \(3x\), \(4\)
    3. \(-x\), \(x\), \(4x\), \(0.2x\), \( \dfrac{1}{4}x\)
    4. \(x\), \(-3\), \(99x\), \(9\)

  2. Which of the terms below is a like term to \(-6xy\)?
    1. \(-6x\)
    2. \(-6xy^{2}\)
    3. \(-6xy^{-1}\)
    4. \(-10xy\)

  3. Which of the lists below contains unlike (not like) terms?
    1. \(2x\), \(-3x\), \(-x\), \(0.01x\)
    2. \(x\), \(5x^{2}\), \(99xy\), \(9\)
    3. \(-x\), \(x\), \(4x\), \(0.2x\), \( \dfrac{1}{4}x\)
    4. \(-2\), \(7\), \(4\), \(89\)
  4. Which of the lists below contains like terms only?
    1. \(6x\), \(-3x^{2}\), \(-10xy\), \( \dfrac{1}{x}\)
    2. \(-x\), \(3x\), \(4\)
    3. \(xy\), \(-3xy\), \(0.002x\), \( \dfrac14 xy\)
    4. \(xy\), \(-3xy\), \(0.002xy\), \( \dfrac14 xy\)
  5. Which of the terms below is a like term to \(-x^{2}y\)?
    1. \(-4yx^{2}\)
    2. \(-xy^{2}\)
    3. \(-8yx^{-2}\)
    4. \(-xy\)
  6. Which of the terms below is NOT a like term to \(3xy^{2}\)?
    1. \(-4y^{2}x\)
    2. \(- \dfrac{1}{6}xy^{2}\)
    3. \(-8xy^{-2}\)
    4. \(0.00001xy^{2}\)
  7. Which of the lists below contains unlike (not like) terms?
    1. \(2y^{2}x^{2}\), \(-3x^{2}y^{2}\), \(x^{2}y^{2}\), \(0.09y^{2}x^{2}\)
    2. \(x^{2}y^{2}\), \(7x^{2}y\), \(99xy\), \(11\)
    3. \(-4x\), \(x\), \(4.5x\), \(12x\), \( \dfrac18 x\)
    4. \(-11\), \(0.002\), \( \dfrac12\), \(4.5\)
  8. Which of the lists below contains like terms only?
    1. \(3x^{2}y^{3}\), \(-3y^{2}x^{3}\), \(-10y^{2}x^{3}\), \( \dfrac{1}{y^{2}x^{3}}\)
    2. \(-x\), \(3x^{2}\), \(4y^{2}x^{2}\)
    3. \(xy\), \(-3x^{2}y^{2}\), \(0.002x\), \( \dfrac14 xy\)
    4. \(-x^{3}y^{3}\), \(-3y^{3}x^{3}\), \(0.04x^{3}y^{3}\), \(1.2x^{3}y^{3}\)
  9. Of the four terms below, which is not a like term to the three others?
    1. \(-y^{4}x\)
    2. \(- \dfrac12 xy^{4}\)
    3. \(-y^{4}x^{4}\)
    4. \(-12y^{4}x\)
  10. Which of the terms below is NOT a like term to \(-9\)?
    1. \(-4.99y^{0}\)
    2. \(- \dfrac{1}{6}\)
    3. \(-0.007\)
    4. \(-9x\)

Answers to the Above Questions

  1. C
  2. D
  3. B
  4. D
  5. A
  6. C
  7. B
  8. D
  9. C
  10. D

Links and References