Question

How do you simplify `-\frac { 3} { 5} ( 20r - 5) - ( - 6r )`?

Answer 1

`-6r+3`

Explanation:

Distributing the brackets.

`color(red)(-3/5)(20r-5)color(red)(-1)(-6r)`

`=(-3/cancel(5)^1xxcancel(20)^4 r)+(-3/cancel(5)^1xx-cancel(5)^1)+(-1xx-6r)`

`=-12r+3+6r`

`=-6r+3`

Answer 2

`3-6r`

Explanation:

First multiply out the brackets:

`-3/5(20r-5)-(-6r)`

`=-(3)/(cancel5^color(red)(1) )*cancel20^color(red)4r+3/(cancel(-5)^color(red)(1))*cancel(-5)^color(red)1-(-6r)`

`=-12r+3-(-6r)`

Remembering that a "minus and a minus makes a plus", we have:

`=-12r+3+6r`

Simplifying gives:

`=-6r+3`

The above is a perfectly acceptable answer, but where possible, I choose not to lead with a negative, and so simple rearranging gives:

`=3-6r`