How do you simplify 2 - 5(3t - 4)25(3t4)?

1 Answer
Nov 19, 2015

22-15t2215t

Explanation:

the 5 multiplies everything inside the brackets so you have:

2 - ( 5 times 3t - 5 times 4)2(5×3t5×4)

2 - ( 15t -20)2(15t20)

But that is not the end of it! You have a minus in front of the bracket.
This is the same as multiplying everything inside the brackets by (-1).

By the way, another way of looking at ' plus ' is as 'put with'; and at subtract as 'remove from':

Now we have :

2 -1(15t-20)21(15t20)

Just think about the -1(15t-20)1(15t20) on its own for now

We have:

(-1 times 15t) - (-1 times 20)(1×15t)(1×20)

(-15t)-(-20)(15t)(20)

Negative times negative give you a positive so we have
-15t + 2015t+20

so 2 - ( 15t -20)2(15t20) becomes color(white)(xx)2-15t+20×215t+20

regrouping gives

-15t +2+2015t+2+20

-15t+2215t+22 which is the same as 22-15t2215t