Learn how to simplify and expand brackets with this BBC Bitesize Maths article. For students between the ages of 11 and 14.

Also give students lots of practice simplifying expressions like 4 - 2 + 1 where they can see why it’s important to follow the order of operations.

Simplify the expression by collecting the like terms. The starting expression, with a bracket (or brackets), is equivalent to the resulting expression. They are identities.