ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS - CLASS 8

DAY - 1
RECAP

1. CONSTANTS AND VARIABLES

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A symbol having a fixed numerical value is called a constant. ( 2, 5, -7, 19 , π, √3 etc)

A symbol which takes on various numerical values is called a variable. They are also called
literals.
Circumference of a circle ‘C’ = 2 π r
Here, 2 and π are constants whereas C and r are variables.

2. TERMS
A term can be a single number or a single constant, or Constants and variables multiplied or
divided together.
(a) 9, – 7, π…. all constants are terms
(b) x, y, z, m, n, a, b, c ….. all variables are terms
( c) (i) Term ‘4’ and term ‘t’ are multiplied together to give term ‘4t’ 4 × t = 4t

𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎 𝟒𝒕
𝟐 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝟒𝒕

(ii) – 11 × a × b × c × c = – 11abc2

𝟓 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇 − 𝟏𝟏𝒂𝒃𝒄𝟐

99 1 𝟗𝟗 𝒑𝟑 𝒒𝟐
(iii) ×𝑝×𝑝×𝑝×𝑞×𝑞 × =
100 𝑟 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝒓

𝟗𝟗 𝒑𝟑 𝒒𝟐
𝟕 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇
𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝒓

3. COEFFICIENTS OF TERM

Each factor of a term is called the coefficient of the products of the rest of the factors of the term.
(i) The coefficient of ‘a’ in 14abcd is 14bcd.
1 1 1
(ii) The coefficient of x2 in − 2 𝑥 2 𝑦 2 is − 2 𝑦 2 and coefficient of y2 will be − 2 𝑥 2
(iii) The coefficient of ‘m’ in 13𝑚 3 will be 13𝑚 2
(iv) The coefficient of ‘x’ in 5𝑥 2 𝑦 2 will be 5𝑥𝑦 2
(v) The coefficient of ‘19’ in −19𝑦𝑧 will be −𝑦𝑧
 The constant term is also called the numeric coefficient in a term.
a, b, c are called
7 7 algebraic factors
(i) In 2
𝑎𝑏𝑐 the numeric coefficient is 2

(ii) In −12𝑚 2 𝑛2 𝑝4, the numeric coefficient is –12

4. LIKE AND UNLIKE TERMS

Term which have same algebraic factors are called like terms.
(i) 4abc and 20 abc
They are like terms as their
algebraic factors are same
(ii) 3𝑥 2 𝑦 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 – 17𝑥 2 𝑦 2

3 −7
(iii) − 2 𝑝3 𝑞2 𝑟 + 19 𝑝 3 𝑞2 𝑟

Like terms can be added and subtracted to obtain 1 term

(i) 4𝑎𝑏𝑐 + 20𝑎𝑏𝑐 = 𝑎𝑏𝑐(4 + 20)
= 24𝑎𝑏𝑐

(ii) Subtract −17𝑥 2 𝑦 2 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 3𝑥 2 𝑦 2

The term to be subtracted
= 3𝑥 2 𝑦 2 − (−17𝑥 2 𝑦 2 ) should always be kept in a
= 3𝑥 2 𝑦 2 + 17𝑥 2 𝑦 2 = 20𝑥 2 𝑦 2 bracket

Term which have different algebraic factors are called unlike terms. They cannot be added/
subtracted.

ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS
When terms come together and separated by mathematical operators like ‘+, –, ×, ÷’, they form an
expression called algebraic expression.
2𝑥 + 9 This is an algebraic expression
It has two terms. Both are unlike terms.
First term is 2𝑥. Its factors are 2 and x
Second factor is a constant 9.

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𝑎3 − 2𝑎2 𝑏 + 7𝑎𝑏𝑐 This is an algebraic expression
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It has three terms. All are unlike terms.
6 6
First term is 17 𝑎3 . Its factors are 17 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑎
Second factor is −2𝑎2 𝑏. Its factors are −2 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑏
Third factor 7𝑎𝑏𝑐. Its factors are 7 × 𝑎 × 𝑏 × 𝑐
 −4𝑚−4 This is an algebraic expression
It has one term.
1 1 1 1 1
Its factors are −4 × = −4 × × × ×
𝑚4 𝑚 𝑚 𝑚 𝑚

WHAT IS A POLYNOMIAL? HOW DIFFERENT IT IS FROM AN ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION?

A polynomial is a special type of algebraic expression, having one or more terms, in which the
variables can have only positive integral powers.

S.No Expression Expression?? Polynomial??

2 𝑐
1 𝑎
+ 𝑏4

With 2 terms It can be written as 2𝑎−1 + 𝑐𝑏−4 .

Polynomial cannot have negative
powers.
2 2𝑎 + 𝑐𝑏4 + 𝑎𝑏3

With 3 terms With 3 terms

3 −7√𝑥 + 19√𝑥𝑦

1 1
With 2 terms It can be written as −7(𝑥)2 + 19(𝑥𝑦)2 .
Polynomial can have only integers in
the power of variables.

All polynomials are algebraic expressions but all algebraic expressions are not polynomials. (T/F)

TYPES OF POLYNOMIALS: MONOMIAL

BINOMIAL

TRINOMIAL

1 MONOMIAL A Polynomial having one term is called 8𝑎𝑏, −2𝑝3 , 3𝑥 2 9𝑥 −2

a monomial.

2 BINOMIAL A Polynomial having two terms is 1. 3𝑎 + 5𝑏 𝑝−3 − 𝑞−2

called a binomial. 2. 𝑝 3 − 𝑞
3 TRINOMIAL A Polynomial having three terms is 1. 𝑎 2 + 𝑏2 + 𝑐 2 𝑎−1 + 𝑏 + 𝑐
called a trinomial. 1 1 1
2. − 𝑚 2 𝑛2 − 𝑚𝑛 −
2 2 3
DRILL EXERCISE ( to be done in maths C/W Register)

Q1. For the given algebraic expressions, identify the constant term and the numeric coefficient of all
the terms that are not constants.
(a) 3𝑥 2 𝑦 3 + 3𝑥𝑦 2 − 7𝑥 + 8𝑦 − 𝑥𝑦 + 9 Coefficients are of terms and
(b) −6𝑎2 𝑏𝑐 3 + 8𝑎𝑏2 𝑐 − 8𝑎 + 11 not of whole expression
𝑎+2𝑏−𝑐
(c)
3
𝑎+2𝑏−𝑐 𝑎 2𝑏 𝑐
Solution: = + −
3 3 3 3

𝑎 1
1st term: 3 numeric coeff: 3
2𝑏 2
2nd term: 3
numeric coeff: 3
−𝑐 −1
3rd term: 3
numeric coeff: 3

−77𝑎2 𝑏2 +16𝑝3
(d)
11

Q2. State whether the given pairs of terms are like or unlike
(a) −5, 2888 (b) 45𝑥𝑦, 45𝑦𝑧
(c) 𝑥𝑦 3 , −987𝑦 3 𝑥 (d) 𝑥, – 98𝑥 (e) 𝑏2 𝑎2 , 67𝑏𝑎2

Q3. Find the value of 𝑚 2 − 5𝑚 + 1 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚 = −3 .