By Bryan Keythman, Updated Aug 30, 2022

An algebraic expression is a collection of terms separated by addition or subtraction operators. Each term can be a constant, a standalone variable, or a product of a number (the coefficient) and a variable. Unlike an equation, an expression contains no equal sign.

Identifying each term is the first step toward simplifying or manipulating the expression.

Step 1

Choose the expression you wish to analyze. For example, consider 3x² + 4y + 5.

Step 2

Locate the first operator (either ‘+’ or ‘–’) and read the block of characters to its left. That block is the first term. In the example, the block before the first ‘+’ is 3x², a term consisting of the coefficient 3 and the variable x².

Step 3

Move past the first operator and find the next block of characters before the following operator. That block is the second term. In our example, 4y sits between the first and second ‘+’ signs.

Step 4

Continue in the same manner for the remainder of the expression. The final block after the last operator is the last term. Here, 5 is a constant term.

TL;DR

Scan the expression left to right, splitting at every ‘+’ or ‘–’ to isolate each term.