Which term describes a symbol that can represent different values in an algebraic expression?

• A. Constant
• B. Digit
• C. Variable
• D. Coefficient

Answer: (C)

A variable is a symbol that can stand for different values in an algebraic expression. We use letters like x or y to represent numbers that we don’t know yet or that can change. For example, in the expression 3x + 5, x is a variable because its value can vary, changing the total. If x is 2, the expression becomes 11; if x is 4, it becomes 17. A constant is a fixed number that doesn’t change, like the 5 in that expression. A digit is a single numeral, such as 0 through 9, which are the building blocks of numbers. A coefficient is the number in front of a variable that shows how many times to multiply the variable, like the 3 in 3x; it does not itself represent a changing value.