Removing Brackets Practice Question

Question 2

Remove the brackets and simplify the following expression.

Answer

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Step 1

First, let's remove the brackets in -(5x -3).

Step 2

Multiply -1 and -3 together. You will get -5x. Note that "-" is the same as "-1"

Step 3

Now, multiply -1 and -3 together. You will get +3.

Step 4

Put back -5x +3 into the expression. Next, we remove the brackets in 2(4x -2).

Step 5

Now, multiply 2 and 4x together. You will get +8x.

Step 6

Now, multiply 2 and -2 together. You will get -4.

Step 7

Put back 8x -4 into the expression. The expression now becomes:

Notice that this expression has like terms. Therefore, let's arrange the like terms together. The expression now becomes:

Step 8

Now, simplify the expression by adding +3 and -4. You will get -1.

Step 9

Now, simplify the expression by adding +8x and -5x. You will get 3x.

Step 10

The expression becomes 3x-1. There is no more like terms, therefore this is the simplest expression. Clearly, the answer is C.

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