Question

How do you simplify: 7m – m?

Answer 1

Hint: Assume the given expression as ‘E’. Now, take the variable ‘m’ common from the two terms and use simple arithmetic operations: addition or subtraction, whichever needed, to simplify the expression. Subtract the numerical value 1 from the numerical value 7 to get the resultant coefficient of ‘m’ and get the answer.

Complete step by step solution:
Here, we have been provided with the expression: 7m – m and we are asked to simplify it.
Now, let us assume the given expression as E, so we have,
$\Rightarrow $ E = 7m – m
In the above expression we can see that there are two terms in which both the terms contain the variable ‘m’. Now, to simplify this expression we have to take the variable ‘m’ common and then perform the simple arithmetic operation to get the answer. So, we have on taking ‘m’ common from both the terms,
$\Rightarrow $ E = m (7 – 1)
So we need to subtract 1 from 7 to get the resultant coefficient of ‘m’, Therefore we have,
$\Rightarrow $ E = m (6)
$\Rightarrow $ E = 6m
Hence, the simplified value of the given expression is: 6m which is our answer.

Note: One may conclude that there is only one term in the expression and not two terms. If you will be asked to determine the number of terms in a given expression then you have to simplify the expression first and then only you will be able to conclude the answer. Here ‘m’ can be any real number. You may check the answer by substituting any numerical value of ‘m’ like m = 3. Find the value of expression 7m – 2m at m = 3 and then find the value of the obtained expression 6m, if they are equal then our answer is correct otherwise we will once check the arithmetic operation that we have performed.