Handouts Intermediate Algebra Home
| To Add or Subtract, you MUST have LIKE TERMS | You may Multiply or Divide LIKE terms or UNLIKE terms |
| Numbers must be lined up vertically so that ones are added to ones, tens are added to tens, hundreds are added to hundreds, etc. | Numbers do not have to be lined up vertically according to place value. |
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Fractions must have the same denominator (name) to be added or subtracted. |
A common denominator is not necessary to multiply or divide fractions. |
| Decimals must be lined up vertically so that tenths are added to tenths, hundredths are added to hundredths, etc. | Decimals do not have to be lined up vertically according to place value. |
| Terms (to be added) must be exactly the same after the coefficient. | Factors (to be multiplied) do not have to be exactly the same after the coefficient. |
| To add radical expressions, everything after the coefficient must be exactly the same (variable, index, radicand.) A radical cannot be broken into addition/ subtraction of separate radicals. | To multiply or divide, it is only necessary that the indices of the radicals are the same. A radicand can be broken into multiplication/ division of separate radicands. |