Question

(x+5)(x-2)
not sure where to start anyone help please?!??!?!

Answer 1

Have you heard of a method called FOIL (first inner outer last)?

Answer 2

no @nat18

Answer 3

okay well that is how you solve this problem. you first distribute the x in (x+5) to the (x-2)

Answer 4

do you know how to do that?

Answer 5

no

Answer 6

okay well think of this x(x-5). to distribute, you have to multiply the term outside the parentheses (in this case x) to both the terms inside the parentheses. so it would be x*x - 5*x which would be x^2 -5x. do you see how i did that step?

Answer 7

where did you get the negative five?

Answer 8

oh im sorry, its positive 5 in the problem. so it would be the same process though. x(x+5) is ....

Answer 9

@thewolflife @nat18 welcome to openstudy, If I could interject here for a moment, a little tip:

FOIL is this:

First
Outer
Inner
Last

this method is the best way to actually solve a quadratic equation.

Answer 10

yes, that is the best way. I was just explaining distributing right now before that. :D

Answer 11

would it be x^2+5x+x^2-2x

Answer 12

i dont think i got it right...

Answer 13

not for the whole problem but i think you are getting distributing a little better

Answer 14

to do the problem you first distribute the x to the first term in (x-2) which would give you x^2, then you would distribute the same x to the -2 to give you -2x. once you do that, move on to distibuting the 5 to the x which would give you 5x and then distribut the 5 to the -2 which would give you -10. Combine like terms and that is your answer