Question

How do you simplify $ - 5(3x - 7)$?

Answer 1

Hint: Here first of all we will take the given expression and will multiply the term inside the bracket with the term outside it and then finally will simplify for the resultant value.

Complete step by step solution:
Take the given expression: $ - 5(3x - 7)$
Multiply the term outside of the bracket with the terms inside the bracket.
$\Rightarrow - 5(3x) - 5( - 7)$
Find the product of the terms. Always remember that the product of two negative terms always gives the positive term. Also, the product of one positive term and one negative term gives resultant value as the negative term.
$\Rightarrow - 15x + 35$
This is the required value.

Additional Information: Be careful about the sign while doing simplification and remember the golden rules-
- Addition of two positive terms gives the positive term
- Addition of one negative and positive term, you have to do subtraction and give signs of bigger numbers, whether positive or negative.
- Addition of two negative numbers gives a negative number but in actual you have to add both the numbers and give a negative sign to the resultant answer.

Thus the required equation is $-15x+35$.

Note: Remember the basic sign convention when performing product with the combination of positive and the negative terms.
i) Product of two positive terms gives resultant value in positive.
ii) Product of two negative terms gives resultant value in positive.
iii) Product of one positive and one negative term gives value in negative.