document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=94966>Question 94966</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Hi! I keep doing this problem but it will not work for me and I don't know what I'm doing wrong.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "[5(-x-8)-20] - [5-3(x-5)+19]\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Can you show me the steps too?? Please and thank you. I need this by tonight if that would be alright. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #69115 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><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=69115\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Given:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "[5(-x-8)-20] - [5-3(x-5)+19]<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "To expand and simplify this begin by working each bracketed sets. The first bracketed<BR>\n" );
document.write( "set is:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "[5(-x-8)-20]<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The terms inside the parentheses cannot be combined. So within the brackets do the multiplication<BR>\n" );
document.write( "first. That is multiply out 5(-x-8) to get -5x -40. Substitute this result into the brackets<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and you get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "[-5x - 40 -20]<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Then the -40 and -20 are like terms that combine to -60. So the brackets now contain:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "[-5x - 60]<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Remember this result. Now let's go to the second set of brackets and work on it.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "[5-3(x-5)+19]<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Again the parentheses contain terms that cannot be combined. So the next step is to do the<BR>\n" );
document.write( "distributed multiplication of -3 times the terms in the parentheses to get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-3(x - 5) = -3x + 15<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Substitute that into the brackets to get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "[5 - 3x + 15 + 19]<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now combine the numbers -3x + 5 + 15 + 19 = -3x + (5 + 15 + 19) = -3x + 39<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "This is the term in our second set of brackets. Now combining the two sets of brackets with<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the negative sign between them results in:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "[-5x - 60] - [-3x + 39]<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Since the first set of brackets is preceded by an implied + sign, we can just remove the<BR>\n" );
document.write( "brackets:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-5x - 60 - [-3x + 39]<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "And since the second set of brackets is preceded by a minus sign when we remove the brackets<BR>\n" );
document.write( "we need to change the signs of the terms inside the brackets. This leads to:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-5x - 60 + 3x - 39<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now we can combine the -5x and + 3x to get -2x and combine the -60 and -39 to get - 99.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "What we are left with is:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-2x - 99<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "That's the answer to this problem. Hope the explanation gives you some insight as to how<BR>\n" );
document.write( "to do the problem.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ". </SPAN>\n" );
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