# Question #982eb

Nov 15, 2017

SIMPLIFY:
$4 a$

EXPAND:
$2 x + 8$

STRETCH:
I'm assuming that this means to distribute and combine like terms, so it's $7 x + 33$.

#### Explanation:

SIMPLIFY:

For the first part, these are all like terms. A like term is something that can be added to something else, since they have the same variables.

You can add the first four $4$ $a$'s together to get $4 a$. If you're not good with variables, imagine that $a$ is an apple and you have four apples. The next part is subtracting an $a$, so you take away an $a$ (or an apple) and get $3 a$.

The next part is adding an $a$ (or an apple) and you get $4 a$ again, thus your final answer is $4 a$.

EXPAND:

You're distributing in this one. Distribution is when you have something (a number or variable) outside of the parenthesis and you multiply it to the terms inside.

You multiply $2$ with $x$ and get $2 x$. You then multiply $2$ and $+ 4$ and get $+ 8$. Thus, $2 x + 8$.

STRETCH:

Again, you're distributing and combining like terms. It's a combination of the first part and second part.

Multiply the $3$ to the $x$ and to the $+ 7$ and you get $3 x + 21$. Multiply the $4$ to the $x$ and the $+ 3$ and you get $4 x + 12$.

You can only combine $3 x$ and $4 x$ and $12$ and $21$. You cannot combine $4 x$ and $21$ because $21$ does not have a variable. So, add $3 x$ and $4 x$ together to get $7 x$ and then add $21$ and $12$ together to get $33$. Thus, $7 x + 33$.

Sorry if I dumbed this down, I wanted to make sure you understood every part since you said you weren't good with math. Hope this helped and good luck!