You have the right idea that things need to get multiplied.
What should be done is that the entire fraction needs to get multipled by the lowest common denominator of both denominators.
Let's look at the complex numerator. Its denominators are 5 and x + 6. Nothing is common with these, so both pieces are needed.
The complex denominator has x - 3 as its denominator. With nothing in common between it and the complex numerator, that piece is needed.
So we multiply the entire complex fraction by (5)(x + 6)(x -3).
Numerator: 
= (x+6)(x-3) - (5)(5)(x-3)
= (x+6)(x-3) - 25(x-3)
= (x-3)(x + 6 - 25) <--- by group factoring the common x - 3
= (x -3)(x - 19)
Denominator:
Now we put the pieces together.
Our fraction simplies to (x - 3) (x - 19) / 125 (x + 6)
When raised to the third power, it is the number times itself three times.
-2(-2) = 4
4(-2) = -8
I'm sorry hun, i suck at math. If i knew how i would help you. Have you tried looking it up?
Problem 3: Let x = price of bag of pretzels Let y = price of box of granola bars
We have Lesley's purchase: 4x+2y=13.50
And Landon's: 1x+5y=17.55
We can use the elimination method. Let's negate Landon's purchase by multiplying by -1. -1x-5y=-17.55
We add this four times to Lesley's purchase to eliminate the x variable.
2y-20y=13.50-70.2
-18y=-56.7
y = $3.15 = Price of box of granola bars
Plug back into Landon's purchase to solve for pretzels.
x+5*3.15=17.55
x+15.75=17.55
x = $1.80 = price of bag of pretzels
Problem 4.
Let w = number of wood bats sold
Let m = number of metal bats sold
From sales information we have: w + m = 23
24w+30m=606
Substitution works well here. Solve for w in the first equation, w = 23 - m, and plug this into the second.
24*(23-m)+30m=606
552-24m+30m=606
6m=54
m=9 = number of metal bats sold
Therefore since w = 23-m, w = 23-9 = 14. 14 wooden bats were sold.
