Math Terms help?!??!?!?!?

Question

What is:

1. Expanding and simplifying

2. Factoring

I just need to know what they mean.. thanks!

Answer 1

1.  Expanding typically is similar to distributing, such as in algebraic terms:

x*( y + z) = x*y + x*z

Simplifying has many definitions, but it can usually be thought of as rearranging to get rid of redundant or useless terms:

x + x - y + 2x + 3y = 4x + 2y (combined the 3 x terms and 2 y terms).

2.  Factoring is sort of the opposite of expanding / distributing:

x*y  +  x*z = x*(y+z).

All of these have uses when solving different types of problems.