Name: The distributive property: solution walkthrough
Uploaded: 2026-11-13
Duration: 2 min 9 s
Description: Which expression is equivalent to 3(2x - 4) - (x - 5)? Try it, then watch the animated solution.

The distributive property: a number in front of parentheses multiplies every term inside,

a(b + c) = ab + ac

.

3(2x - 4)

is three groups of

2x - 4

:

3 \cdot 2x = 6x

and

3 \cdot ({-4}) = {-12}

.

A minus in front of parentheses means

{-1}

times every term:

{-(x - 5)} = {-x} + 5

. Both signs flip.

Combine like terms:

6x - x = 5x

and

{-12} + 5 = {-7}

. So the expression equals

5x - 7

.

Traps:

5x - 17

flips only the

x

,

5x + 1

multiplies only

2x

by

3

,

7x - 17

ignores the minus.

Try it first