How do you use the distributive property to simplify #7(z - 4)#?

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Answer 1 · 2018-05-12T19:38:01

#7z-28#

#"each term in the bracket is multiplied by "7#

#rArrcolor(red)(7)(z-4)#

#=(color(red)(7)xxz)+(color(red)(7)xx-4)#

#=7z+(-28)=7z-28#

Answer 2 · 2018-05-12T19:43:27

#7z - 28#

The distributive property is when you take the number outside a set of parentheses and multiply it to all the terms inside the parenthesis.

In this case, #7# is outside the parentheses, so we multiply it to the terms inside, which would be #z# and #(-4)#.

We first multiply #7# and the #z#

#7 xx z = 7z#

Then we multiply #7# and #(-4)#

#7 xx (-4) = -28#

And our answer should be

#7z - 28#