How do you write #(x-5)(x+2)# in standard form?

1 Answer
Mar 17, 2016

# x^2 - 3x - 10 #

Explanation:

Each term in the 2nd bracket must be multiplied by each term in the 1st. This can be done as follows.

# color(blue)"(x -5 )"(x + 2)#

= #color(blue)"x" (x + 2 )color(blue)"-5"(x + 2 ) = x^2 + 2x - 5x - 10 #

now collect like terms

# rArr (x - 5 )(x + 2 ) = x^2 - 3x - 10 " is in standard form "#

Writing an answer in standard form means , start with the term that has the highest power of the variable, #" in this case " x^2 #followed by terms with decreasing powers until the last term, usually a constant.