How to combine p - 0.15p

Question

Combine like terms for P - 0.15p

 

Answer 1

Hello, Bonnie -- 

For this problem, you need to recognize that the first term, p, is actually 1.00 p. You can then set it up as a simple decimal subtraction problem:

      1.00 p - 0.15 p  =  0.85 p

   

Answer 2

Hi Bonnie,

You can rewrite the expression as 1×p - 0.15×p. Now it looks like formula for distributive proprety

a×c-b×c=(a-b)×c

By applying distributive proprety you will get (1 - 0.15)×p=0.85×p=0.85p

If you noticed: the coefitient in your answer is the difference of like terms coefitients.

Hope it helped.

Olga