Question 984109: Expand and simplify the following expression:
(x+2y-3) (2x-y+1) (x+y)
I tried playing around with using the FOIL method, but i'm not sure if it can be used when there are three brackets to expand?
Answer by solver91311(24713)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You have three factors, so you have to multiply one pair and then take that product times the third factor. Multiplication, like addition, is a binary operation -- only two operands allowed at a time.
FOIL is a process that only works with binomials, because if you have a trinomial (or greater degree) factor, First, Outside, Inside, Last doesn't include all of the multiplications you have to do.
The process I use when multiplying polynomials with more than two terms is to take the first term of the first polynomial times each of the terms of the second polynomial, and I write them in a line making sure my signs are correct. Then I take the second term of the first polynomial and multiply it by each of the terms in the second polynomial, writing these terms in a line UNDER the first line of terms, making sure to line up the terms by degree (the cubed terms in one column, the squared terms in another column, etc.). Once I have multiplied each of the first polynomial's terms by each of the second polynomial's terms, I add up the columns to collect like terms.
(2x\ -\ y\ +\ 1))
John
My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
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