Final answer:
To use the distributive property on the expression 7(7.2x - 3.8y) - 6, we multiply each term inside the parentheses by 7 and then subtract 6, resulting in the expanded form 50.4x - 26.6y - 6.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question involves using the distributive property to expand the algebraic expression 7(7.2x - 3.8y) - 6. To do this, we must multiply each term inside the parentheses by 7 and then subtract 6. Here are the steps:
- Multiply 7.2x by 7: 7 × 7.2x = 50.4x
- Multiply -3.8y by 7: 7 × -3.8y = -26.6y
- Combine the terms: 50.4x - 26.6y
- Subtract 6 from the expression: 50.4x - 26.6y - 6
The expanded form of the given expression using the distributive property is: 50.4x - 26.6y - 6.
It is important to eliminate terms where possible to simplify the algebra; however, in this case, the terms are already simplified. Once an expansion is complete, it's a good practice to check if the answer is reasonable, which we can affirm through our methodical approach.