Question

Solve. 4(b+6)=-24

Answer 1

First, multiply the four by the numbers in parentheses. Can you do that?

Answer 2

it would be 24

Answer 3

24b?

Answer 4

No... how did you get that?

Answer 5

you told me to multiply the four by the number in the parenthesis

Answer 6

Yes, just multiply, but not add them... you can't add an unknown variable with a known variable. Try again!

Answer 7

4(b+6)=-24 is what you want to solve. the rule is that a * (b +c) = a*b + a* c. Why this and not something else ? Because this is what makes sense i.e. agrees with other rules of addition. Now, in your case, 4(b+6) will expand to --? 4b + 4*6 and thus one can find out b.

Answer 8

Thank you!