Question

How do you write `(-3x-1)(x+1)` in standard form?

Answer 1

`-3x^2 - 4x - 1`

Explanation:

multiply out the brackets. Each term in the 2nd bracket must be multiplied by each term in the 1st. To ensure this happens set out as follows :

`-3x(x + 1 ) - 1(x + 1 )`

`= -3x^2 - 3x - x - 1 = -3x^2 - 4x - 1`

Standard form is writing the expression , starting with the term that has the highest power of the variable followed by terms with decreasing powers until the last term , usually a constant.

`a_n x^n + a_(n-1) x^(n-1) + a_(n-2) x^(n-2) + ...... + a_0 x^0`

hence : `-3x^2 - 4x - 1 " is in standard form "`