x+x=? confused about the combining of "like" terms

Norloonda

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Jul 16, 2013
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My question concerns combining of "like" terms.

*Example(s) from my textbook.

*4x+x=5x.

*2ab+ab=3ab; and not 3a2b.

In a later section; the distribution principle;

*x2+5x/x(+x)=x+5+x=2x+5.

I thought in the combining of like terms that variables that have coefficients (both sides - like"b" in above example) (x = 1x) of one(1) - stays as it is - the 1 is not added together(Why?). This is lack of instructions in my textbook that I have concluded.
 
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