How do you simplify #(x + 3)(x - 8) #?

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Answer 1 · 2017-02-27T13:28:41

See the entire simplification process below:

To multiply these two terms you multiply each individual term in the left parenthesis by each individual term in the right parenthesis.

#(color(red)(x) + color(red)(3))(color(blue)(x) - color(blue)(8))# becomes:

#(color(red)(x) xx color(blue)(x)) - (color(red)(x) xx color(blue)(8)) + (color(red)(3) xx color(blue)(x)) - (color(red)(3) xx color(blue)(8))#

#x^2 - 8x + 3x - 24#

We can now combine like terms:

#x^2 + (-8 + 3)x - 24#

#x^2 - 5x - 24#