Question

An equation is shown: -3(x + 3) + 35 = 2 + 7(4x - 1). Rhonda starts solving the equation by applying the distributive property on both sides of the equation. Her work is shown below with a missing value: -3% + ? + 35 = 2 + 28% - 7. What is the missing value in Rhonda's equation?

a) 7
b) -28%
c) 3
d) -3

Answer 1

The missing value in Rhonda's equation after applying the distributive property is -9. This is because -3 multiplied by +3 equals -9.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asking about the missing value when the distributive property is applied to the terms in the equation -3(x + 3) + 35 = 2 + 7(4x - 1). Rhonda's work shows a calculation with the distributive property partially applied, resulting in -3x + ? + 35 = 2 + 28x - 7.

To find the missing value, we apply the distributive property to -3(x + 3). This means multiplying -3 by x and by +3. When we multiply -3 by +3, we get -9. Therefore, the missing value in Rhonda's equation is -9, which is option (d).

When applying the distributive property, we must remember that the sign before the number is also included in the multiplication. This is a part of basic algebra rules related to operations with integers.