If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

Lesson 3: Parts of algebraic expressions

# Terms, factors, and coefficients review

Review terms, factors, and coefficients, and try some practice problems.

## Terms

Terms are single numbers, variables, or the product of a number and variables.
Examples of terms:
• 5
• 9, a
• y
• start fraction, c, divided by, 4, end fraction
• x, cubed

## Factors

A factor is one part of a product.
Examples of factors:
In the term 8, x, the factors are 8 and x.
In the term c, d, e, the factors are c, d, and e.

## Coefficients

A coefficient is a number multiplied by a variable.
Examples of coefficients:
In the term 14, c, the coefficient is 14.
In the term g, the coefficient is 1.

## Practice

Problem 1
• Current
What is the coefficient of the term 7, y in the expression 9, plus, 7, y?

Want to try more problems like this? Check out this exercise.

## Want to join the conversation?

• This algebra is quite hard. who thinks so, too ? 🦋
• glad im not the only one.
• What do they mean when they say terms in an expression
• Take a problem like 3a x 2b there are two terms right? because 3a is one and 2b is one so theirs two. have 3a x 2b x 5s x 3r there is 4 variables.
• I thought a term was just one variable or just one coefficient. Is this true?
• No this is not true,a term is when u have a equation and for example 2+2 there is two terms because ur adding two numbers
• So in the expression: 12x+ 19y -1, is the constant -1 or 1?
• The constant in the polynomial 12x + 19y - 1 is -1.
You include the sign that appears next to the number.

However, if it was 12x +19y +1 , then the constant will be +1 but in mathematics, the positive signs need not be written (if it is a number appearing on its own in an answer), so the answer for my above polynomial is 1.
• If my teacher has us use a different method do you think I would get points off for using this?
• no,i dont think so
• can someone explain that beter and eayeser to me
• Term is something that is being added together. Factor is something that is being multiplied together. Coefficient is a number that is being multiplied by the variable.

2x+6x+14
The 2x, 6x, and 14 are terms because they are being added together. 2 and x; 6 and x are factors because they are being multiplied together. 2 from 2x and 6 from 6x are the coefficients because they are being multiplied by the variable.

Hope this helps
• is 1 the coefficiant in 1xyz+4