How do you evaluate #1/2[(3x+1) - (2-x)]#?

1 Answer
Mar 30, 2018

#2x - 1/2#

Explanation:

Use brackets hierarchy: the innermost brackets are #3x+1# and #2-x#, but they don't involve similar terms, so we have nothing to do.

Then, the square brackets: we need to subtract the two quantities above, obtaining

#(3x+1)-(2-x) = 3x+1-2+x = 4x-1#

Finally, we divide everythin by two, as the outer #1/2# suggests:

#(4x)/2 - 1/2 = 2x - 1/2#