Simplify the expression

Question

6-2(4y+2)-8y+12. Simplify the expression

Answer 1

To simplify this expression you have to first distribute the -2 to the parentheses since we always solve parentheses first in order of operations. When using distributive property, you multiply the number outside of the parentheses to each number in the parentheses:

6 - 8y - 4 - 8y + 12

Then you would combine like terms. Like terms have the same variable and/or exponent. In this case, -8y can go with -8y because they have the same variable: -8y - 8y = -16y

6 - 4 + 12 can go together because they are all numbers:

2 + 12 = 14

This means that the simplified equation is 14 - 16y or -16y + 14

You can't put these final two terms together because they are not alike.