Question

I'm studying for my ged and I don't understand what they mean by 'use distributive property to remove grouping symbols'. What does that mean?

Answer 1

let's say, you have 2(x+5)=10 
What you  do is multiply the x and the 5 by 2 so it now looks like 
2x+10=10 

The act of multiplying the inside numbers by the number outside the parenthesis is the distributive property. Now using distributive property to remove grouping symbols is  similar 
Lets say you have 18 + {2 + 3 (6 -1*2)} first you would multiply 2by1

= 18 + {2 + 3(6 - 2)} then subrtact 2 from 6 

= 18 + {2 + 3(4)} then multiply 3by 4  take away () grouping signal

= 18 + {2 + 12} then add 2 and 12

= 18 + {14} then take away the last grouping signals 

= 18 + 14 then add 18 and 14 

= 32