# Need help with step by step simplification

• January 27th 2014, 10:16 AM
alexh2
Need help with step by step simplification
Hey, I'm new on this forum.

Just started a college math course this semester and I realized I was VERY rusty since I havent done math in the last 4 years.

Working on what should be ''easy'' problems before the real thing starts and I seem to be stuck on that. If any of you could help me out with a step by step simplification.

4+3(5x-(x-3)

I'm probably only missing a small thing and can't get the the correct answer which should be 12x-5.

• January 27th 2014, 10:54 AM
sakonpure6
Re: Need help with step by step simplification
Woops sorry for double post
• January 27th 2014, 10:57 AM
sakonpure6
Re: Need help with step by step simplification
I would like to remind you of BEDMAS which list the importance of in order of operations BracketsExponentsDivisionMultiplicanAdditionSubtraction. However Multiplication/Division and Addition/Subtraction are interchangeable in BEDMAS, meaning that you can do division first or multiplication.

$4+3(5x-(x-3))$ first we do what is in the brackets, expand out -(x-3) by multiplying each term by -1.
$=4+3(5x-x+3)$ collect like terms inside the brakcets
$=4+3(4x+3))$ Do the multiplication, 3(4x+3) by multiplying 3 by each term.
$=4+12x+9$ Collect like terms
$=12x+13$