document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=569540>Question 569540</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> How do uSimplify (5x+4)-(6x+2)?<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 #367579 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=KMST><B>KMST(5328)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=KMST><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=KMST><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=367579\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I find that a minus sign is easier to deal with if I see it as part of the number that follows it. If I do not see a number, the number is an invisible 1.  So for  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x-5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x-5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, I see <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+%2B+%28-5%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+%2B+%28-5%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.  And for <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=8-x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"8-x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, I see <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=8+%2B+%28-1%29x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"8+%2B+%28-1%29x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "For the problem above, I prefer to believe that I am seeing<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%285x%2B4%29%2B%28-1%29%286x%2B2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%285x%2B4%29%2B%28-1%29%286x%2B2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "I do not write it that way, but I see it that way in my mind, and that helps me keep the signs straight.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%285x%2B4%29%2B%28-1%29%286x%2B2%29=5x%2B4-6x-2=-x%2B2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%285x%2B4%29%2B%28-1%29%286x%2B2%29=5x%2B4-6x-2=-x%2B2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Otherwise, you have to remember (and hopefully justify to yourself) that to eliminate a set of brackets right after a minus sign, you also have to reverse all the signs inside the brackets, so that -(6x+2)=-(+6x+2) turns into <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-6x-2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-6x-2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.<BR>\n" );
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