Distributive Property and Combining Like Terms Explained

Maria, a mathematician, explains how to simplify expressions using the distributive property and combining like terms. She demonstrates with an example, showing how to distribute a number across terms in parentheses and then combine like terms by focusing on their coefficients. The video concludes with a simplified expression and a recap of the steps involved.

What is the first step in simplifying the expression 2 * (4x + 3) - 3x?

• Combine like terms

• Add 4x and 3

• Distribute the 2

• Subtract 3x

What does it mean when you see a number before parentheses?

• Subtract the number from the terms inside

• Distribute the number to each term inside

• Divide the number by the terms inside

• Add the number to the terms inside

What is the result of distributing 2 to the term 4x?

• 2x

• 6x

• 8x

• 10x

After distributing, what is the next step in simplifying the expression?

• Combine like terms

• Divide the terms

• Add the constants

• Multiply the coefficients

Which terms are considered like terms in the expression 8x - 3x + 6?

• 8x and 3

• 6 and -3x

• 8x and -3x

• 8x and 6

What is the result of combining 8x and -3x?

• 1x

• 11x

• 3x

• 5x

What should you do with the sign before each term when combining like terms?

• Change it to negative

• Ignore it

• Change it to positive

• Take it with the term

What is the final simplified form of the expression 2 * (4x + 3) - 3x?

• 5x + 6

• 8x + 3

• 4x + 9

• 2x + 6

What do you do with the constant term after combining like terms?

• Multiply it by the variable term

• Leave it as it is

• Subtract it from the variable term

• Add it to the variable term

What is the key takeaway about the distributive property?

• It involves adding terms

• It involves multiplying the number outside the parentheses by each term inside

• It involves dividing terms

• It involves subtracting terms