If you distribute the -1, considering it as you get: or If you subtract them first, you get So it doesn't matter which you do. However when you can combine the terms inside the parentheses, that is always shorter. The only time you MUST distribute is when a parentheses contains unlike terms, like the first parentheses. You must distribute the 7: And then combine like terms: Now plug in -2 for x Divide top and bottom by 2 Edwin