Question

Help understanding how to find the answer please.
(a + 3)(a - 2)

Answer 1

Know FOIL method?

Answer 2

I don't

Answer 3

F= first O= over I = inner L= last
So multiply the first values with each other (a x a) What does this give?

Answer 4

After this multiply the same a with the (-2) now in the second parenthesis. What does this give? (a x -2) = ?

Answer 5

Above was the " Over" part.

Answer 6

ok im lost

Answer 7

what does a x a give?

Answer 8

a2?

Answer 9

a^2 right?

Answer 10

ya

Answer 11

yes. Write this down

Answer 12

and 3*2=6

Answer 13

look at your equation as we multiply. We just multiplied your first a with the second a.

Answer 14

You skip 2 multiplication steps darling... Lets do them together.

Answer 15

oh oops, ok

Answer 16

Remember First, over, inner, last! (FOIL)

Thus the "first" is a x a = a^2
The " over" is a x -2 = -2a
The " inner" is 3 x a = 3a
The " Last" is 3 x -2 = -6

Answer 17

Thus you get:
a^2 - 2a + 3a -6. (What can you do now to simplify this equation further?)

Answer 18

so what I need to do is when I get to the part including the number, multiply each number by the letter??

Answer 19

My fill in the blank for this equation is this (___-a_____)

Answer 20

Take the first part : (a + 3) now just work with a first ( forget the +3 for now) and multiply it with your second parenthesis: (a -2)
Thus a x a
and a x -2

Answer 21

huh?

Answer 22

Anyways the answer is a^2 + a - 6.
Read my instructions carefully and try to do it yourself again.

Answer 23

would I do the same for this on : (x^2 + 4)(x^2 - 4)