How do you simplify #(x – 8)(x + 5)#?

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Answer 1 · 2018-03-25T12:59:19

See a solution 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)(8))(color(blue)(x) + color(blue)(5))# becomes:

#(color(red)(x) xx color(blue)(x)) + (color(red)(x) xx color(blue)(5)) - (color(red)(8) xx color(blue)(x)) - (color(red)(8) xx color(blue)(5))#

#x^2 + 5x - 8x - 40#

We can now combine like terms:

#x^2 + (5 - 8)x - 40#

#x^2 + (-3)x - 40#

#x^2 - 3x - 40#