What is the first Step in Solving 3(p - 3) = 2p + 7?

a. Add 3to both sides of the equation
b. Subtract 3 from both sides of the equation
c. Subtract 7 from both sides of the equation
d. Distribute 3 to both terms in parenthesis

Question

What is the first Step in Solving 3(p - 3) = 2p + 7?

a. Add 3to both sides of the equation
b. Subtract 3 from both sides of the equation
c. Subtract 7 from both sides of the equation
d. Distribute 3 to both terms in parenthesis

kewlgeek555 · Answer

I tried a already...not the answer.

anonymous · Answer

d. Distribute 3 to both terms in parenthesis.

anonymous · Answer

Are you guessing?

kewlgeek555 · Answer

No, I was not guessing.

anonymous · Answer

Ok, no worries... doing (a) is not the best first step because the 3 is inside the parenthesis

anonymous · Answer

PEMDAS

Parenthesis
Exponents
Multiplication
Division
Addition
Subtraction

Since you can't do anything in the parenthesis and there are no exponents, move on to multiplication.

anonymous · Answer

With order of operations, you should distribute first to simplify the parenthesis section

kewlgeek555 · Answer

Okay.  Yeah, I called my teacher today and she said something about distributing.  Thanks.

anonymous · Answer

Glad to help :)