SOLUTION: Hello I am a college stydent and we just started our marh class. I am not sure on how to aimplify algebraic expressions. They have this process called FOIL. first, outer, inner and

Question 627770: Hello I am a college stydent and we just started our marh class. I am not sure on how to aimplify algebraic expressions. They have this process called FOIL. first, outer, inner and then last. Could u please explain to me a little more in depth how this works. Looking at their examples just confuses me... here is one- (2x-3)(x+3)= 2x cubed + 3x - 9... where did the 9 come from? Its all about "polynomials" hope u can help me! Thank you. Jesyka
Found 2 solutions by jim_thompson5910, solver91311:
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Start with the given expression.

Now let's FOIL the expression.

Remember, when you FOIL an expression, you follow this procedure:

Multiply the First terms:.

Multiply the Outer terms:.

Multiply the Inner terms:.

Multiply the Last terms:.

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So we have the terms: , , ,

Now add every term listed above to make a single expression.

Now combine like terms.

So FOILs to .

In other words, .

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Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

First, Outside, Inside, Last

Using your example:

The Firsts are the first terms in each of the binomials, namely and .

Multiply these together and get

The Outsides are the first term in the first binomial and the second term in the second binomial, namely and .

Multiply these together and get

The Insides are the second term in the first binomial and the first term in the second binomial:

Notice that because there is a minus sign, you have to take it along for the ride. Multiply these two together and get

And finally, so to speak, are the Lasts, the second term in each of the binomials:

Multiply these together and get

Now add up all 4 results:

And finally collect like terms:

Done. By the way, the answer is NOT like you indicated. The high order term is 2nd degree, not 3rd degree.

Now, Jesyka, I know you are trying to sound both blonde and new at the same time, perhaps in a bid to generate sympathy, but it isn't working and it really isn't necessary. Any college that would admit a student that cannot spell words like student, math, and simplify is, in my view, hardly worth attending. You might want to rethink your educational strategies. Your misspellings, use of "textspeak", and general playing dumb are annoying and disrespectful. If you truly want to be a college student, grow up and act like one.

John

My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it

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