Algebraic expressions

This course is a part of Algebra basics, a 8-course Topic series from Khan Academy.

The core idea in algebra is using letters to represent relationships between numbers without specifying what those numbers are!

This course contains 7 segments:

Introduction to variables

Wait, why are we using letters in math? How can an 'x' represent a number? What number is it? This tutorial is great if you're just beginning to delve into the world of variables and expressions.

Substitution & evaluating expressions

Learn how to substitute (or "plug in") values for variables and evaluate algebraic expressions.

Writing algebraic expressions

Learn the basics of writing expressions with variables.

Combining like terms

Learn how to combine like terms (with negative numbers and variables), including more complex problems involving the distributive property.

Distributive property

Learn how to apply the distributive property to numerical expressions (without variables) and algebraic expressions (with variables). The distributive property is also sometimes called the distributive law.

Equivalent algebraic expressions

Learn to tell whether or not two algebraic expressions are equivalent by combining like terms and using the distributive property.

Nested fractions

Learn how to simplify rational expressions that contain further rational expressions within their numerators or denominators.