Question

How do you simplify this equation: `Y = (x - 4)(x + 3)`?

Answer 1

See the entire solution process below:

Explanation:

To multiply these two terms you multiply each individual term in the left parenthesis by each individual term in the right parenthesis.

`Y = (color(red)(x) - color(red)(4))(color(blue)(x) + color(blue)(3))` becomes:

`Y = (color(red)(x) xx color(blue)(x)) + (color(red)(x) xx color(blue)(3)) - (color(red)(4) xx color(blue)(x)) - (color(red)(4) xx color(blue)(3))`

`Y = x^2 + 3x - 4x - 12`

We can now combine like terms:

`Y = x^2 + (3 - 4)x - 12`

`Y = x^2 - 1x - 12`

`Y = x^2 - x - 12`