Question

How do you multiply `(3a-4b)(a+b)`?

Answer 1

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

`(color(red)(3a) - color(red)(4b))(color(blue)(a) + color(blue)(b))` becomes:

`(color(red)(3a) xx color(blue)(a)) + (color(red)(3a) xx color(blue)(b)) - (color(red)(4b) xx color(blue)(a)) - (color(red)(4b) xx color(blue)(b))`

`3a^2 + 3ab - 4ab - 4b^2`

We can now combine like terms:

`3a^2 + (3 - 4)ab - 4b^2`

`3a^2 - ab - 4b^2`