Final answer:
The expression 3(x-9) simplifies to 3x - 27 using the distributive property, which involves multiplying the outside number by each term within the parentheses and combining the results.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expression 3(x-9) is an example of the distributive property in algebra, where a number is multiplied by each term inside the parentheses. To simplify this expression, you would distribute the 3 to both the x and the -9. Here is the step-by-step breakdown:
- Multiply 3 by x to get 3x.
- Multiply 3 by -9 to get -27.
- Combine the two results to get the simplified expression: 3x - 27.
This demonstrates the rule: xpxq = x(p+q), but applied to algebra where x represents any variable or number.