Problem 35 - Introductory Algebra for College Students

Question

Use a form of the distributive property to rewrite each algebraic expression without parentheses. $$3(x-2)$$

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

\(3x-6\)

Step 1: Apply the Distributive Property

The formula for the distributive property is \(a(b + c) = ab + ac\). Here, \(a=3\), \(b=x\), and \(c=-2\). Each term inside the parentheses should be multiplied by the number outside the parentheses, which is \(3\).

Step 2: Multiplication

So, multiplying them, we get the expression \(3*x = 3x\) and \(3*(-2) = -6\).

Step 3: Final Step

Combine these expressions, which gives as the final expression: \(3x-6\)