841 Math Blog

Cadence: Hi Blaise

Blaise: Hi Cadence

Cadence: What are you up to?

Blaise: Oh nothing, just some math homework. It's pretty difficult...Harbeck is brutal!

Cadence: Really? Let's take a look. The first question is n+3-5n+12

Blaise: I got..-6n+15 for that one

Blaise: Is it right?

Cadence: In a algebraic expression, you have to group the variables and numbers. The easiest way to do that is to put them in order, variab

les first. After doing this the expression should be -5n + n + 3 + 12. Got me so far?

Blaise: I think so. But what happens af

ter that?

Cadence: Once that is done and over with, you can add the variables. -5n + n is -4n , right?

Blaise: Sure, why not?

Cadence: Now lets add the numbers, an

d finish simplifying the question.

Blaise: This is simplifying?!

Cadence: Yes, what else would it be?

Blaise: I thought it was solving the problem.

Cadence: Nope. Since there is no equals sign in this question, we are merely simplifying it.

Blaise: Gotcha.

Cadence: ... Right. Carrying on. Adding the two leftover numbers, 3 and 12, we get 15. To finish answering this question, we add

both the answer from the variables and the numbers. This comes out to -4n + 15.

Blaise: Oh, I see. I now know where I went wrong.. I added the variables differently than you did. -5n + n isn't -6n, it's -4n.

Cadence: Okay, onto the next question, which is 2+4(3n+8)

Blaise: Ha, well the answer to that was obvious.

Cadence: Well then, what was it?

Blaise: 12n+10

Cadence: No, Blaise. Your wrong. Again.

Blaise: Fine then. Explain how to figure out this question.

Cadence: Okay. The first thing that you notice that is different in this question is the brackets, and the number right beside t

hem. Since this number is touching the bracket, it becomes a multiplier. This means that you multiply both the numbers inside the brackets by it. But before starting on this, lets write down the 2 +. Now lets multiply. Since the question is 2+4(3n+8) we multiply 4 by 3n, which is 12n, and 4 by 8, which is 32.

Blaise: So the result so far is 2 + 12n + 32?

Cadence: Correct. As said in the last question explanation, we have to group numbers and variables. Since there is only 1 variable in this question it will not need to be grouped, so we can just group 32 and 2. Adding these together we get 34.

Blaise: The answer is 12n + 34!

Cadence: Good job Blaise, but since you still think your a ninja, I'm a bit creeped out.

Blaise: *random dancing*