Solving an equation with parenthesis
When there is a multiplication between a term with parenthesis and another term we apply the distributive property:
It says that the parenthesis indicates that the term outside will multiply each of the terms inside it.
For the first parethesis:
- 3(2x + 4) = (-3) · 2x + (-3) · 4
since
(-3) · 2x = -6x
(-3) · 4 = -12
then
- 3(2x + 4) = (-3) · 2x + (-3) · 4
- 3(2x + 4) = -6 x - 12
For the second
– (2x + 4) = – 1 (2x + 4)
= (-1) · 2x + (-1) · 4
=-2x -4
Factoring
We can see in this case that both parenthesis are the same, then it is the common factor of - 3(2x + 4) and – (2x + 4) ,
We can factor it by separating it of each term and letting the remaining terms inside a parenthesis
- 3(2x + 4) – (2x + 4) = (2x + 4) ( -3 -1)
= (2x + 4) ( -4)
= -4 (2x + 4)