M6|L21 Combining Like Terms (Part 2)Sign out

Question

Write equivalent expressions.
How could you start to write equivalent expressions?
18 − 8(3x − 8)

Start left to right and subtract 18 − 8 first.

Use the distributive property to distribute the -8 to the values within the parentheses.

Answer 1

To write equivalent expressions for the given expression $18-8(3x-8)$, you can apply the distributive property. Here’s how to do it step by step:

1. Distribute the -8: Multiply -8 by each term inside the parentheses:

   $$-8(3x)+-8(-8)$$

   This simplifies to:

   $$-24x+64$$

2. Combine with the constant: Now, incorporate the constant 18 from the original expression:

   $$18-24x+64$$

3. Combine like terms: Combine the constants (18 and 64):

   $$82-24x$$

Thus, the equivalent expression for $18-8(3x-8)$ is:

$$82-24x$$

This process shows how you can systematically apply the distributive property and combine like terms to generate an equivalent expression.