How to remove the parentheses by using
the distributive property. We start
with this:
8(x+7)
We put the 8 on the left by the x, the first
thing inside the parentheses to indicate
that the 8 is multiplied by the x
8x
Now we put the + sign on to that and we have
8x+
Next we would put the 8 beside the 7, and get
87, but that would be mistaken for eighty-seven,
so we must put a ∙ between the 8 and the 7, like
this: 8∙7, to keep it from looking like
eighty-seven. We write that next:
8x+8∙7
Finally we have to leave 8x as it is, because
x is an unknown number. But we can multiply
8 times 7 and replace 8∙7 by 56.
8x+56
That's the final answer, with no parentheses.
The parentheses were removed by multiplying the
8 on the far left of the parentheses by each of
the added terms inside the parentheses, eliminating
the parentheses.
Edwin
