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We begin by addressing the parenthesis first:
Remember that:
When we multiply a positive number by a negative number, the result will be negative.
When we multiply a negative number by a negative number, the result will be positive.
Hence we obtain the following calculation:
We join together the a coefficients:
We then join together the b coefficients:
We obtain the following:
\( 100-(30-21)= \)
The negative sign outside acts like multiplying by -1. So . Each term gets multiplied by -1!
Like terms have the same variable and exponent. In this problem: 2a and 3a are like terms (both have 'a'), and 3b and -4b are like terms (both have 'b').
Write each step clearly! First distribute: . Then group: . Finally combine: .
Yes! You can rearrange terms to group like terms together: . This makes it easier to see what combines.
Pick simple values like a = 1, b = 2. Check both the original expression and your answer give the same result. Original: . Answer: ✓
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