Question

How do you factor $2x - 10x?$

Answer 1

Hint: Here given expression is the binomial having two terms and both the given terms are like terms with the same variable. Here we will simplify the two terms and resultant will be one term since two given terms are like terms so accordingly will do plus or minus applicable.

Complete step-by-step solution:
Take the given expression: $2x - 10x$
When you simplify between the positive term and the negative term, you have to subtract and give sign of the bigger number.
$ = ( - 8x)$

Hence, the required solution is $2x - 10x = ( - 8x)$

Additional Information: Be careful about the sign while doing simplification remember the golden rules-
-Addition of two positive terms gives the positive term
-Addition of one negative and other positive term, you have to do subtraction and give the sign of a bigger number whether positive or negative.

Note: Constants are the terms with fixed value such as the numbers it can be positive or negative whereas the variables are terms which do not have any fixed value which are denoted by small alphabets such as x, y, z, a, b, etc. Be careful while moving any term from one side to another. Be careful about the sign convention. When there are two different signs in the binomial expression, you have to do subtraction and apply the sign of the bigger number.