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Can you simplify this expression?
Understanding the Distributive Property will make simplifying expressions and solving equations
easier.
The Distributive Property, as its name implies, requires you to distribute something. In this
case, you're distributing one factor across the parts of the other factor. The Distributive
Property works, regardless of the kinds of terms you're working with or how many there
are.
More often than not, you're using the Distributive Property to simplify an expression.
Start by distributing the factor outside the parentheses to each term of the factor inside
the parentheses.
Then simplify each term.
In this case, the "terms" are the place values.
Distribute the outside factor across the place values and simplify everything.
Just remember to add everything back together.
The Distributive Property, symbolically.
So, can you simplify this expression?
Note that we're writing each step as we go. We're also paying attention to our signs.
Both will keep us on the right track.
The expression simplifies to -8x2 +6x
If you remember to distribute across all terms and watch your signs, then you'll master the
Distributive Property.