How do you simplify #10 + 2(4x + 3)#?

1 Answer
Mar 3, 2018

Distribute and combine like terms to get #8x+16#

Explanation:

First, let's distribute the #2# to the terms in parenthesis. In this step, we are just multiplying. We get:

#10+8x+6#

We can further combine like terms (constants with constants, variables with variables) to get:

#8x+16#

This would be the simplified version of #10+2(4x+3)#

BONUS: Alternatively, we can factor #8x+16#. We are essentially finding a common factor that both of the terms have in common. We can factor an #8# out of both terms (which is the same as dividing by #8#). We get:

#8(x+2)#

This is the factored version of #8x+16#