How do you multiply #(k - 1)(k - 4)#?

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Answer 1 · 2017-03-14T00:06:58

See the entire 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)(k) - color(red)(1))(color(blue)(k) - color(blue)(4))# becomes:

#(color(red)(k) xx color(blue)(k)) - (color(red)(k) xx color(blue)(4)) - (color(red)(1) xx color(blue)(k)) + (color(red)(1) xx color(blue)(4))#

#k^2 - 4k - k + 4#

We can now combine like terms:

#k^2 - 4k - 1k + 4#

#k^2 + (-4 - 1)k + 4#

#k^2 - 5k + 4#