document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=13380>Question 13380</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> -(8a - 4b) + 5 - 3(4b + 2) - 8 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #6749 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=akmb1215><B>akmb1215(68)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-08.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=akmb1215><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=6749\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Your first step in solving this equation is to use the distributive property to get rid of the parentheses in the equation.  Since there is a negative sign in front of the (8a-4b), you have to distribute that across the parentheses.  This gives you <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-8a+%2B+4b+%2B+5+-12b+-6+-+8 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-8a+%2B+4b+%2B+5+-12b+-6+-+8\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >}.  Now, you can combine like terms to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-8a+-+8b+-+9 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-8a+-+8b+-+9\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.  This is as simplified as this equation can get. </SPAN>\n" );
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