Final answer:
Using the distributive property to simplify 7(a - 6), you multiply 7 by 'a' to get 7a, and then multiply 7 by -6 to get -42. The final simplified expression is 7a - 42. The correct option is D.
Step-by-step explanation:
To simplify the expression 7(a - 6) using the distributive property, you multiply 7 by each term inside the parentheses.
Here is the step-by-step process:
- Multiply 7 by a: 7 × a = 7a.
- Multiply 7 by -6: 7 × -6 = -42.
- Combine the results from steps 1 and 2 to get the simplified expression: 7a - 42.
So, the correct answer is 7a - 42, which corresponds to option D.