An expression is a mathematical sentence that contains numbers, variable and exponents and operations (addition, subtraction, division, square roots, etc)

Expressions are not the same thing as equations. (An equation would be two expressions connected by an equals sign to show they are the same.)

The “standard toolbox” you should have at the start of grade 11 includes: collecting like terms, multiplying terms, reducing fractions and the distributive property. Doing these things should be automatic: it’s just assumed that students will do them when possible without being asked.

Collecting like terms means simplifying terms where the variable and exponents match. So 2x + 5x needs to be simplified to 7x.

Multiplying terms is multiplication with numbers, variables and exponents. (4x)(6y) = 24xy.

The distributive property means expanding into brackets by multiplication.