Definition
Characteristics
A symbol that may take
any value
Usually a lower case
letter.
Example
Variable
𝒙 is a variable in
𝟑𝒙 + 1
𝒔 and 𝒕 are variables in
𝟐𝟎𝒔𝒕
In your own
words…
Definition
Characteristics
A number, a variable or
the product of a
number and a variable
Terms are separated by
a + sign or a − sign.
Term
Examples
In your own
words…
Definition
Characteristics
•A number that is next
to a variable.
It can be any type of
number: positive,
negative or fraction
Coefficient
Examples
3 is a coefficient of 𝑥
3𝑥 + 1
-7 is a coefficient of 𝑥 2
-7𝑥 2 + 1
In your own
words…
Definition
Characteristics
•To turn an expression into a
product of factors
It usually involves writing an
expression with brackets
Factorise
Examples
30 → 𝟐 × 𝟑 × 𝟓
2𝑥 + 4 → 𝟐 𝒙 + 𝟐
𝑥 2 + 7𝑥 + 6 → 𝒙 + 𝟏 (𝒙 + 𝟔)
In your own words…