Question

Which of the following pair contains unlike terms?

• A. $3x,-7x$
• B. $x^2{y}^2,10x^2{y}^2$
• C. $7xy,16xy$
• D. $x{y}^2,7x^{2}y$

Answer 1

The correct option is D $x{y}^2,7x^{2}y$

Like terms are terms whose variables (and their exponents) are the same irrespective of the coefficients.

By using the above definition we can observe that in option $D,$ $x{y}^2$ has an exponent of variable $x$ as $1.$ But in $7x^{2}y$ exponent of variable $x$ is $2.$ Similarly $y$ also do not have the same exponents in the given two terms.

Hence, option $D$ contains, unlike terms.