1.0Reference.comhttps://www.reference.comStaff Writerrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Cfh3qCClbl"><a href="https://www.reference.com/world-view/add-variables-exponents-17829a7d181f6dac">How Do You Add Variables With Exponents?</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.reference.com/world-view/add-variables-exponents-17829a7d181f6dac/embed#?secret=Cfh3qCClbl" width="600" height="338" title="“How Do You Add Variables With Exponents?” — Reference.com" data-secret="Cfh3qCClbl" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); </script> https://www.reference.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/d113a4a4ea2fa296bf7a11e3cbfadf3c.jpg1400788The basic rule in adding and subtracting variables with exponents is they must be like terms. Like terms consist of the same variable or set of variables raised to the same power. The numerical coefficients of these terms may vary, and these are the elements that undergo the addition or subtraction process. The algebraic expressions 2x, 7x and x are like terms, as well as, 4ab^2 and 21ab^2.