def METHOD_NAME(terms):
    """Align a set of terms"""
    try:
        # flatten the parse tree (a nested list, really)
        terms = list(com.flatten(terms))
    except TypeError:
        # can't iterate so it must just be a constant or single variable
        if isinstance(terms.value, pd.core.generic.NDFrame):
            typ = type(terms.value)
            return typ, _zip_axes_from_type(typ, terms.value.axes)
        return np.result_type(terms.type), None
    # if all resolved variables are numeric scalars
    if all(term.is_scalar for term in terms):
        return _result_type_many(*(term.value for term in terms)).type, None
    # perform the main alignment
    typ, axes = _align_core(terms)
    return typ, axes