In algebra, letters are used when numbers are not known. Algebraic terms, such as \(2s\) or \(8y\), leave the multiplication signs out. So rather than \(2 \times s\), write \(2s\), and rather than ...

In algebra, letters are used to stand for values that can change (variables) or for values that aren’t known (unknowns). A term is a number or letter on its own, or numbers and letters ...