document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=4821>Question 4821</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> When working equations with parenthesis, what is the rule for the \"sign\" in front of the parenthesis?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Example #1: 2x + 5x -3(4 + 3) = -21; will the plus sign inside of the parenthesis become a minus (negative) sign and the negative sign in front of the 3 outside of the parenthesis become a positive sign? \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Example #2:   2x + 5x 3(4 - 3) = -21; will the minus (negative) sign inside of the parenthesis not change because of the 3 outside of the parenthesis is a <BR>\n" );
document.write( "positive sign?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thank You,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "TSJ - AL <BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #2318 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=longjonsilver><B>longjonsilver(2297)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=longjonsilver><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=longjonsilver><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=2318\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> hi, this is a classic problem area for students - basically because mathematicians are lazy and we miss out some notation, because we assume everybody knows this, but of course when you are learning maths, you do not know everything :-). So,\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2x+%2B+5x+-3%284+%2B+3%29+=+-21 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2x+%2B+5x+-3%284+%2B+3%29+=+-21\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > is really <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2%2Ax+%2B+5%2Ax+-3%2A%28%2B4+%2B+3%29+=+-21 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2%2Ax+%2B+5%2Ax+-3%2A%28%2B4+%2B+3%29+=+-21\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > --> the 4 has a + sign in front of it too, because it is the number +4, but the software is being \"clever\" and not showing it, because it assumes everybody knows it is there!\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So, for the bracket, we have the number -3 to be multiplied with both +4 and +3 within the bracket:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "(-3)*(+4) is -12<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(-3)*(+3) is -9\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "so, the equation becomes 2x + 5x -12 -9 = -21\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "We can now collect like terms together on the lefthand side: 7x - 19 = -21 which becomes 7x = -2 etc\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "As for <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2x+%2B+5x+%2B+3%284+-+3%29+=+-21 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2x+%2B+5x+%2B+3%284+-+3%29+=+-21\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, again we have:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "(+3)*(+4) is +12<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(+3)*(-3) is -9\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "--> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2x+%2B+5x+%2B+12+-+9+=+-21 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2x+%2B+5x+%2B+12+-+9+=+-21\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Hope this is clearer for you?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "jon.<BR>\n" );
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