NCERT Solutions for Class 7th Maths Chapter 2 Arithmetic Expressions
Updated on 2026-09-19
About this chapter
An arithmetic expression is a number phrase like 13 + 2 or 5 × 25; the number it evaluates to is its value . Two expressions can be compared with =, by looking at how their parts differ — no full calculation needed. Terms are the pieces of an expression separated by ‘+’. Every subtraction is first rewritten as adding the inverse, so 83 – 14 has terms 83 and –14. Terms may be added in any order and in any grouping — the commutative and associative properties of addition. Removing a bracket that has a minus sign in front of it flips the sign of every term inside it. The distributive property : a × (b + c) = a × b + a × c, and a × (b – c) = a × b – a × c — the multiple of a sum (difference) is the sum (difference) of the multiples.
- Simple Expressions
- Comparing Expressions
- Terms in Expressions
- Swapping and Grouping
- More Expressions and Their Terms
- Tinker the Terms I
- Removing Brackets
- Tinker the Terms II
- The Distributive Property
- Chapter Review Exercise
Quick revision
| Idea | What it means | Example | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic expression | A number phrase built with + – × ÷ | 13 + 2 | 15 |
| Value of an expression | The single number it evaluates to | 5 × 25 | 125 |
| Comparing expressions | Use =, < or > on the two values | 13 – 2 < 4 × 3 | 11 < 12 |
| Term | A part separated by ‘+’ (subtraction → add the inverse) | 83 – 14 = 83 + (–14) | terms 83, –14 |
| Product as one term | A × or ÷ chain has no ‘+’, so it is a single term | 30 + 5 × 4 | terms 30, 5 × 4 |
| Brackets | Evaluate what is inside first | 30 + (5 × 4) | 50 |
| Commutative property | Swapping two terms keeps the sum | 6 + (–4) = (–4) + 6 | 2 |
| Associative property | Grouping terms differently keeps the sum | (–7) + 10 + (–11) | –8 |
| Bracket after a minus | Signs of all terms inside change | 200 – (40 + 3) = 200 – 40 – 3 | 157 |
| Bracket after a plus | Signs inside stay as they are | 28 + (35 – 10) = 28 + 35 – 10 | 53 |
| Distributive property | Multiply the number into every term | 2 × (43 + 24) = 2 × 43 + 2 × 24 | 134 |
| Smart multiplying | Write a number as a round number ± a little | 97 × 25 = 100 × 25 – 3 × 25 | 2425 |
Exercises
- In-text Questions — Simple Expressions Page 24
- Figure it Out — Comparing Expressions Page 25
- In-text Questions — Comparing Expressions Page 26
- In-text Questions — Terms in Expressions Page 28 – 29
- In-text Questions — Swapping and Grouping Page 30
- In-text Questions — Swapping and Grouping Page 31
- In-text Questions — More Expressions and Their Terms Page 32
- In-text Questions — More Expressions and Their Terms Page 33
- In-text Questions — More Expressions and Their Terms Page 34
- Figure it Out — More Expressions and Their Terms Page 34 – 35
- Tinker the Terms I — In-text Questions Page 37
- Removing Brackets — Figure it Out Page 37 – 38
- Removing Brackets — In-text Questions Page 39
- Removing Brackets — In-text Questions Page 40
- Tinker the Terms II — In-text Questions Page 41
- The Distributive Property — Figure it Out Page 41 – 42
- Chapter Review Exercise — Figure it Out Page 42 – 44
- Chapter Challenge — Expression Engineer! Page 45