Question

Simplify -(3a-2b) - 3(-a-b)

Answer 1

Hint:
distribute the negatives and combine like terms

Answer 2

What do you mean by distribute the negatives?

Answer 3

-×3a
-×-2b

-3×-a
-3×-b

Answer 4

in the first parenthesis there is a negative that can be distributed

Answer 5

-3a+2b+3a+3b

Answer 6

-(3a-2b)
^

Answer 7

behind every operation there is a number in this case its a -1 thats being distributed

Answer 8

6a-1b

Answer 9

i get something different
-(3a-b)+3a-3b
-3a+b+3a-3b
now combine like terms
3a-3a
-3b+1b?

Answer 10

oops -3b+2b

Answer 11

When I distributed I got -3a+2b+3a+3b

Answer 12

Then subtracted 2 b from 3b

Answer 13

and got -3a+3a-1b

Answer 14

noo dont subtract when combining like terms we keep their operations
if it was
-3a+2b=3a+3b
we would subtract but in this case it's on the same side of the equal sign so we keep the operation the same

Answer 15

oh so you dont simplify anymore?

Answer 16

yes you continue to simplify but keep the operations the same from here
-3a+3a
2b+3b

Answer 17

im confused again

Answer 18

the expression is on the same side of the equal sign so we do not do their reciprocal we keep the operations the same

Answer 19

http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/like-terms.html
heres a site that might explain combining like terms better than i can

Answer 20

ok i understand more now but can you show me how to combine for this problem?

Answer 21

-a+a=0
b+b=2b
heres an example

Answer 22

i was just confused about the 0

Answer 23

theres no exponent for 0 is there? its just 0 right

Answer 24

yes it's just 0 you dont have to write a term for it

Answer 25

so it would be 0 + 5b^22 ??

Answer 26

i mean 2

Answer 27

not 22

Answer 28

the only time you would write a exponent with the variable is if you multiply the same variables together in this case we dont have an exponent so 5b would be the answer

Answer 29

ok!! thank you so much!

Answer 30

you're welcome