Like and Unlike Terms Questions for Class 7

Identifying like and unlike terms questions for Class 7 is an important part of Algebra. These concepts help students to simplify algebraic expressions, add and subtract terms correctly, and confidently solve mathematical problems.

This guide explains the definitions of like and unlike terms with simple examples, solved questions, practice exercises, and useful tips.

What Is a Term?

In an expression, a term is basically a number or variable that is separated by an operation.

Examples

7x is a term.

−3a² is a term.

 5xy is a term.

12 is a constant term.

p + 4q − 9 has three terms: p, 4q, and −9.

A term can generally have these parts:

Coefficient: The numerical part of the term.

Variable: A letter representing an unknown number.

Algebraic or literal factor: The variable part, including its powers.

For example, in 7x²yz

7 is the coefficient.

x²yz is the algebraic factor.

x, y, and z are variables.

What Are Like Terms?

Terms that have the same algebraic factors are called like terms. Here, the same algebraic factors mean the same variables and the same power. Their coefficients can be different.

Examples of Like Terms

3x and 8x

7a² and −4a²

5xy and 12xy

9p²q and −2p²q

 ½m and 6m

The order of the variables does not matter. For example, 4ab and 9ba are like terms because ab and ba represent the same product.

Important Point

There is no restriction on the same coefficient for the like terms. The coefficients can be different,nt but the variables and powers should be the same.

For example:

6x² and −11x²

are like terms because they both have the same variable part, x².

 What Are Unlike Terms?

Terms that have different algebraic factors are called unlike terms. The difference can be in the variables, in the powers of the variables, or in both.

Examples of Unlike Terms

3x and 5

4a and 4a²

7xy and 9x²y

6p²q and 8pq²

5m and 5

Even if two terms have the same coefficient, they can still be unlike terms if their variable parts are different.

For example:

7x and 7x²

They are unlike terms because x and x² have different algebraic factors.

Difference Between Like and Unlike Terms

Like Terms	Unlike Terms
They contain the same variables.	They contain different variables or variable parts.
Corresponding variables have the same powers.	Variables can have different powers.
Coefficients can be different.	Coefficients can be the same or different.
They can be directly added or subtracted.	They cannot be combined into a single term by simple addition or subtraction.
Example: 4x and −9x	Example: 4x and −9y

How to Identify Like Terms

Follow these simple steps to identify like and unlike terms:

1. Ignore the coefficients.

2. Look at the variables in each term.

3. Compare the powers of the variables.

4. Check if the variable parts are the same.

5. If the variable parts are the same, the terms are like terms. If they are not the same, they are unlike terms.

Example

In 6xy and -3 yx:

Coefficients: 6 and −3

Variable parts: xy and yx

Both variable parts are exactly the same, so these terms are like terms.

Consider 6xy and −3xz.

In this example, the coefficients are different, and variable factors(variables and their powers) are also different.

So these are unlike terms.

Related Topics

Algebraic Expressions

Algebraic Equations

You can also visit like terms for better understanding.

Solved Like and Unlike Terms Questions for Class 7

Question 1: Tell whether 6x and 12x are like terms or not.

Solution:

In like terms, the variables and powers are the same. Here, the variables and their powers are the same.

Therefore, 6x and 12x are like terms.

Question 2: State whether 17a² and 13a are like or unlike terms.

Solution:

In 17a² powers of a is 2, and in 13a, the power of a is 1.

Their powers are different.

Therefore, these are unlike terms.

Question 3: State whether 4pq and −9qp are like or unlike terms.

Solution:

Since both terms have the same variables, pq, and the powers are also the same. Therefore, these are like terms.

Question 4: State whether 8m²n and 5mn² are like or unlike terms.

Solution:

Here, the variables are the same, but the powers are not the same. Therefore, these are unlike terms.

Question 5: Point out the like terms in the expression

6x + 5y – 4x + 7

Solution:

The terms of the expression are:

6x, 5y, −4x, 7

Like terms are:

6x and −4x

Question 6: Simplify

7a + 2a − 4a

Solution:

All the terms are like terms, so we can add or subtract them easily. 

= 7a + 2a − 4a 

= 9a – 4a

= 5a

Question 7: Simplify

8x² + 13x − 6x² + 2x

Solution:

Combine the like terms

(8x² − 6x²) + (13x + 2x)

Now add or subtract the like terms

2x² + 15x

Question 8: Can 4x and 7y be added to get 11xy?

Solution:

As the variables are different, these are unlike terms, and we cannot add the unlike terms together. So, this writing is incorrect:

4x + 7y = 11xyTThe answerwerr will be 

4x + 7y

Question 9: Add 3pqr and 6pqr.

Solution:

= 3pqr + 6pqr 

= 9pqr

Question 10: Subtract 4ab² from 11ab².

Solution:

11ab² − 4ab² = (11 − 4)b²

= 8ab²

Solution:

Practice Questions

A. Identify Like or Unlike Terms

Write like terms or unlike terms for each pair.

1. 6x, 10x
2. 4a, 4b
3. 9m², −2m²
4. 5pq, 7p²q
5. 8r, 8
6. 3xy, −11yx
7. 2c²d, 6cd²
8. −5z³, 12z³

B. Find the Like Terms

Identify groups of like terms in every expression.

1. 4a + 7b − 9a + 2b
2. 6x² + 3x + 5x² − x
3. 8mn − 4m + 6mn + 9m
4. p² + 3p − 5 + 7p² − 2p

C. Simplify the Expressions

1. 5x + 9x
2. 12a − 7a
3. 6m + 4n + 3m
4. 8p² − 3p + 2p² + 7p
5. 9xy − 4x + 2xy + 6x

Answers to Practice Questions

A. Answers

1. Like terms
2. Unlike terms
3. Like terms
4. Unlike terms
5. Unlike terms
6. Like terms
7. Unlike terms
8. Like terms

B. Answers

1. 4a, −9a and 7b, 2b
2. 6x², 5x² and 3x, −x
3. 8mn, 6mn and −4m, 9m
4. p², 7p² and 3p, −2p

C. Answers

1. 14x
2. 5a
3. 9m + 4n
4. 10p² + 4p
5. 11xy + 2x

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Adding Unlike Terms

A very common mistake is to add unlike terms. 

Incorrect:

3x + 4y = 7xy

Correct:

3x + 4y

This expression cannot be simplified further because 3x and 4y are unlike terms.

Ignoring Powers

While solving the questions, most students don’t consider the powers of the variables. 

For example:

5x and 5x²

are not like terms.

Treating Constants as Variables

A number without a variable is called a constant. It is not like a term with a variable.

For example:

7x and 7

are unlike terms.

Changing the Variable Part

When combining like terms, only add or subtract the coefficients. Do not change the variable part.

4a² + 9a² = 13a²

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What are the like terms in Class 7 mathematics?

Like terms are those terms which have the same variables and their powers are also the same. For example, 4x and 9x are like terms.

Q2. What are unlike terms?

Unlike terms: there are different algebraic factors. For example, 3a and 5b are unlike terms.

Q3. Can like terms have different coefficients?

Yes. The coefficients of like terms may be different. For example, 7x² and −3x² are like terms.

Q4. Can unlike terms be added?

Unlike terms cannot be combined into a single term. For example, 4x + 5y cannot be simplified further, so the answer remains 4x + 5y.

Q5. Are 3ab and 3ba like terms?

Yes. 3ab and 3ba represent the same product, so 3ab and 3ba are like terms.

Q6. Are 2x and 2x² like terms?

No. Their powers are different, so they are unlike terms.

Conclusion

In this section, we have learned about like and unlike terms questions for Class 7. We have learned from the definition of like and unlike terms to their identification, their questions, and also their practice questions. We have also learned the mistakes that some students make while identifying like and unlike terms. 

By regular practice with algebraic expressions, you can easily find the difference between like and unlike terms.