Examine the following expression. p squared minus 3 + 3 p minus 8 + p + p cubed Which statements about the expression are true? Check all that apply. The constants, –3 and –8, are like terms. The terms 3 p and p are like terms. The terms in the expression are p squared, negative 3, 3 p, negative 8, p, p cubed. The terms p squared, 3 p, p, and p cubed have variables, so they are like terms. The expression contains six terms. The terms p squared and p cubed are like terms. Like terms have the same variables raised to the same powers. The expression contains seven terms.

The constants, –3 and –8, are like terms.
The terms 3 p and p are like terms.
The terms in the expression are p squared, negative 3, 3 p, negative 8, p, p cubed.
The expression contains six terms.
Like terms have the same variables raised to the same powers.

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Terms are generally separated by + or - signs. (The sign is considered to be part of the term.) In the context of a polynomial, terms may be constants, or may be a product with factors that are constants or variables.

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Further comments on "term"

In other contexts, the word "term" is used for various purposes. It can designate a member of a sequence, the left or right side of an equation, the numerator or denominator of a rational expression, or just about any identifiable expression that can be considered as a unit. Whereas "coefficient" or "factor" may apply to just about any subset of the (prime) factors of a product, the word "term" is generally restricted to consideration of the product as a whole.