Math Is Fun Forum

reallylongnickname

Member

Registered: 2011-03-30

Posts: 50

distributive law

The way to solve this is apparently to use division by the common factor which is 3x^2

However, if I solve it with out the division like this (see below), I get the same answer. So what rule should I be following? Am I skipping steps or am I using different method?

Bob

Administrator

Registered: 2010-06-20

Posts: 10,140

Re: distributive law

hi reallylongnickname

You cannot 'solve' it anyway because it is not an equation; rather just an expression.

So I think you mean 'simplify' it.

It factorises (factorizes) as you have correctly done in your last line.  That's it done.

Bob

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Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob