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Writing expressions with variables & parentheses

In this math lesson, we learned about expressions and how to simplify them step by step. We explored adding and multiplying expressions, like negative numbers and variables. By practicing these skills, we can solve more complex algebra problems with ease and confidence. Created by Sal Khan.

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Video transcript

First consider the expression for negative 5 plus the quantity of 4 times x. Now, take the product of negative 8 and that expression and then add 6. So let's do it step by step. First, we're going to have this expression-- negative 5 plus something. So it's going to be negative 5 plus the quantity of 4 times x. Well, that's just going to be 4x. So it's going to be negative 5 plus 4x. So that's this expression up here. Now, take the product of negative 8, so were going to just take negative 8, and we're going to multiply the product of negative 8 and that expression. So we're going to take negative 8 and multiply it so that expression is this thing right over here. So if we say the product of negative 8 in that expression is going to be negative 8 times that expression, that expression is negative 5 plus 4x, so that's negative 8. That's that expression. The product of the two, so we could put a multiplication sign there, or we could just leave that out and implicitly it would mean multiplication, take the product of negative 8 and that expression and then add 6. So that would be then adding 6 right over here. So we could write it as negative 8 open parentheses negative 5 plus 4x and then add 6. Let's do one more. First, consider the expression the sum of 7 and-- so that's going to be 7 plus something-- and the product of negative 2 and x. The product of negative 2 and x is negative 2x. So it's 7 plus negative 2x. We could write that as 7 minus 2x. So this is equal to 7 minus 2x. These are the same expression. What expression would be 4 plus? So now we're saying 4 plus the quantity of 2 times that expression? So it's going to be 4 plus some quantity. I'll put that in parentheses. The quantity of 2 times-- I'll do this in magenta or in yellow. 2 times that expression-- let me do this in blue-- that expression is this thing right over here. So 4 plus the quantity of 2 times that expression, 2 times 7 minus 2x. And we are done.